Curling's ulcer
| Curling's ulcer | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| DiseasesDB | 3237 |
| MeSH | D004381 |
Curling's ulcer is an acute peptic ulcer of the duodenum resulting as a complication from severe burns when reduced plasma volume leads to sloughing of the gastric mucosa. The condition was first described in 1823 and named for a doctor, Thomas Blizard Curling, who observed ten such patients in 1842.[1]
These stress ulcers were once a common complication of serious burns, presenting in over 10% of cases,[1] and especially common in child burn victims.[2] They result in perforation and hemorrhage more often than other forms of intestinal ulceration[3] and had correspondingly high mortality rates.[1]
A similar condition involving elevated intracranial pressure is known as Cushing's ulcer.
[edit] Treatment
While emergency surgery was once the only treatment, combination therapies including enteral feeding with powerful antacids such as H2-receptor antagonists or, more recently, proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole have made Curling's ulcer a rare complication.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Pruitt, Basil A., Jr., F.D. Foley and John A. Moncrief (October 1970). "Curling's ulcer: a clinical-pathology study of 323 cases". Annals of Surgery 172 (4): 523–39. doi:10.1097/00000658-197010000-00001. PMC 1397279. PMID 5311720. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1397279.
- ^ Bruck, H.M. and Basil A. Pruitt, Jr. (June 1972). "Curling's ulcer in children: a 12-year review of 63 cases". Journal of Trauma 12 (6): 490–6. doi:10.1097/00005373-197206000-00006. PMID 5033495.
- ^ Lev R; Klein, Martin S.; Ennis, Frank; Sherlock, Paul; Winawer, Sidney J. (December 1973). "Letter: Stress erosions". Am J Dig Dis 18 (12): 1099–100. doi:10.1007/BF01076530. PMID 4543410.
- ^ Moran KT, O'Reilly T, Munster AM (October 1987). "A combined regimen for the prophylaxis of Curling's ulcer". Am Surg 53 (10): 575–6. PMID 2890321.
