Esophagitis
Esophagitis must be differentiated from gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, acute coronary syndrome, angina pectoris, cholecystitis, biliary colic, pulmonary embolism and esophageal perforation, rupture and tears - C. Michael Gibson MS MD
image by: HWN
HWN Suggests
Patient finds relief in treatment for chronic esophagus inflammation
If you're a foodie like me, you're filled with excitement at the thought of your next meal, and even this mention of yummy goodies may already have you counting down the minutes until your lunch break. Now, imagine sitting down to eat, and rather than excitement, you feel fear. You're unsure whether the next bite of food will go down smoothly, or send you to the emergency room.
Articles of Interest
"It Feels Like a Pill is Stuck in My Throat": The Basics of Pill Esophagitis
When a pill/capsule fails to pass into stomach and remains in contact with esophageal mucosa for extended period. This leads to inflammation and injury. Spectrum of injury can range from irritation to ulceration to hemorrhage to stricture formation.
Barrett’s Esophagus
It is a long-term complication of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Only a few people with GERD develop Barrett’s Esophagus. However, it may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Therefore, it is important to have regular checkups if you have developed Barrett’s Esophagus to detect precancerous cells.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
My esophageal story.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Mysterious Allergic Disease
If EoE is suspected, the disease is confirmed through an upper endoscopy, during which biopsies are taken from the esophagus lining and evaluated for the presence of eosinophils. A high number of eosinophils in the middle esophagus, along with the patient’s symptoms, and exclusion of gastroesophageal reflux disease, suggest the diagnosis of EoE.
Severe Dysphagia from Medication-Induced Esophagitis: A Preventable Disorder
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common medical problem that has many causes, including esophageal injury. Currently, more than 70 frequently used medications have been implicated in esophageal injury, and medication-induced esophagitis (also known as “pill-induced esophagitis”) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia in individuals who take prescription and over-the-counter medications. Yet this etiological factor regularly escapes detection or goes unrecognized. As a result, dysphagia in patients with medication-induced esophagitis is often managed inappropriately.
Resources
Harvard Health
By far the most common cause of esophagitis is acid reflux (also called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD). It is a backflow of digestive acid from the stomach, resulting in a chemical burn of the esophagus.
Lecturio
If left untreated, esophagitis can lead to complications such as strictures, metaplasia of the esophagus , and development of malignancy.
StatPearls
One of the most common causes is gastroesophageal reflux, which can lead to erosive esophagitis. Other etiologies include radiation, infections, local injury caused by medications, pill esophagitis, and eosinophilic esophagitis
WikEM
Generally clinical diagnosis in ED (requires EGD for conclusive diagnosis).
