Published online Aug 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i15.3341
Peer-review started: March 18, 2020
First decision: June 15, 2020
Revised: June 28, 2020
Accepted: July 15, 2020
Article in press: July 15, 2020
Published online: August 6, 2020
Suppurative oesophagitis is a diffuse inflammation of the oesophagus characterized by suppurative exudate or pus formation. Suppurative infections can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the stomach, with inflammation involving the entire gastric cavity. However, cases extending beyond the cardia or pylorus and involving the oesophagus, small intestine, and colon are rare. Usually such cases are discovered during surgery or autopsy.
We report a rare case of acute suppurative oesophagitis. A 57-year-old man presented at the Emergency Department of our hospital with fever and productive cough. The patient had a significant history of lower oesophageal mucosal frostbite. He was successfully diagnosed and treated with repeated gastroscopy, appropriate antibiotics, and innovative symptomatic treatment.
Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of acute suppurative oesophagitis are critical. Nutritional support, postural drainage, and other symptomatic treatments must be considered.
Core tip: This case report details a particularly interesting and rare case of acute suppurative oesophagitis that developed secondary to suspected mucosal frostbite in the oesophagus. A 57-year-old man, with a significant history of lower oesophageal mucosal frostbite, presented with fever and productive cough. He was successfully diagnosed and treated with repeated gastroscopy, appropriate antibiotics, and innovative symptomatic treatment. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature as, to our knowledge, this is the first report of oesophageal frostbite predisposing a patient to acute suppurative oesophagitis.