Figure 1.

Pathophysiology of acute esophageal necrosis. Acute esophageal necrosis usually results from an acute triggering event that occurs against a background of chronic predisposing conditions. These processes usually involve a combination of one or more of 3 main pathophysiological mechanisms: 1) esophageal ischemia secondary to the presence of risk factors for advanced vasculopathy; 2) gastroesophageal reflux resulting in direct mucosal damage; and 3) general debilitation states resulting in impaired defense mechanisms and regenerative ability