Curling's ulcer
Curling's ulcer is an acute gastric erosion resulting as a complication from severe burns when reduced plasma volume leads to ischemia and cell necrosis 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.
These stress ulcers were once a common complication of serious burns, presenting in over 10% of cases, and especially common in child burn victims. They result in perforation and hemorrhage more often than other forms of intestinal ulceration and had correspondingly high mortality rates.
A similar condition involving elevated intracranial pressure is known as Cushing's ulcer.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.
