Acute Phlegmonous Esophagogastritis Causing Respiratory Distress

Phlegmonous esophagogastritis is an extremely rare condition characterized by diffuse inflammation of the upper gastrointestinal tract, sparing the mucosa. Patients can present with an acute onset of symptoms, and computed tomography scans can show diffusely edematous wall with intramural low attenuation surrounded by ring enhancement. Here we report such a case of a man who presented with central chest pain and breathing difficulty. The patient developed respiratory distress due to compression of trachea by the edematous esophagus.