Esophagitis Dissecans Superficialis After Thermal Injury

Abstract

ABSTRACT Esophagitis dissecans superficialis (EDS) is a rare esophageal condition characterized by sloughing of the esophageal mucosal epithelium, typically associated with a desquamating dermatologic disorder or mucosal irritants. We present a case of a 49-year-old man who presented for thermal burns sustained from an outdoor heater explosion. On body trauma imaging, he was incidentally found to have a midcervical esophageal prominence causing asymptomatic posterior tracheal compression. Endoscopy with esophageal biopsy were performed and consistent with EDS. He never exhibited symptoms associated with this diagnosis. To our knowledge, thermal injury has been a purported, albeit without case reference, etiology of EDS.