CURLING ULCER

Course overview

STRESS ULCERS ARE A WELL-KNOWN CLINICAL ENTITY DESCRIBED AS STRESS-INDUCED GASTRITIS OR GASTROPATHY. THE GASTRIC AND SOMETIMES ESOPHAGEAL OR DUODENAL MUCOSAL BARRIER IS DISRUPTED SECONDARY TO A SEVERE ACUTE ILLNESS. IT MAY PRESENT AS EROSIVE GASTRITIS RANGING FROM ASYMPTOMATIC SUPERFICIAL LESIONS, AND OCCULT GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) BLEED TO OVERT CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT GI BLEEDING. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF CURLING ULCERS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.