Esophageal necrosis and perforation associated with the anticardiolipin antibody syndrome

The anticardiolipin antibody syndrome has been previously associated with seven cases of gastrointestinal ischemia involving the duodenum, jejunoileum, or colon. In prior cases patients presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, or an acute abdomen without gastrointestinal perforation. A patient with prior pulmonary emboli, right leg thrombophlebitis, and right popliteal artery thrombosis associated with anticardiolipin antibodies developed fatal esophageal ischemia. Postmortem examination revealed esophageal necrosis and perforation due to esophageal vascular thrombosis, as well as ischemic colitis and numerous other thromboembolic phenomena. This case report extends the gastrointestinal manifestations of the anticardiolipin antibody syndrome by describing esophageal involvement and by reporting the first case of alimentary tract perforation.