Abstract

LUCENDO VILLARIN, A. J. et al. Bruising of the esophagus as a cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in a case of heatstroke. Rev. esp. enferm. dig. [online]. 2005, vol.97, n.8, pp.596-599. ISSN 1130-0108.

Alterations in blood clotting are a frequent complication of serious heatstroke and may result in gastrointestinal bleeding. We report the case of a 26-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital with symptoms of hyperthermia associated with encephalopathy and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) after prolonged exposure to sunlight. He presented hematemesis, after which he was diagnosed with having a bruising of the esophagus that took up the upper and lower thirds, there being no other lesions in the stomach or duodenum. After supportive treatment and following the resolution of the underlying pathology, the endoscopy-revealed injuries healed with a complete normalization of the esophageal mucosa. Esophageal submucosal bruising is an exceptional cause of hematemesis in serious heatstroke not previously described in the literature.

Keywords : Heatstroke; Esophageal bruises; Disseminated intravascular coagulation; Esophagus; Gastrointestinal bleeding.

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