Black esophagus: A rare autopsy case

Abstract

The black esophagus is a rare entity of an acute esophageal necrosis described at endoscopy and typical histological properties of a diffuse mucosal necrosis. The presented case was a 17 year-old girl; admitted to the hospital with an abdominal distantion and vomiting, who died soon after admittance. The case was investigated by local prosecutor, as the cause of the death was unknown; a forensic autopsy was mandated and later performed in our department. During autopsy on macroscopic examination an acute esophageal necrosis with black colored esophageal mucosa was detected. In this case report, we aimed to explain the autopsy findings, clinical presentation, histological appearance, risk factors and pathogenesis of the disease from the medico legal point of view