Abdominal Key

Esophageal Infections Odynophagia, and to a lesser degree, dysphagia are most common symptoms Others: Nausea, dysgeusia, heartburn, chest pain, fever, bleeding, hiccups FUNGAL: CANDIDA ALBICANS Most common cause of infectious…

Esophageal Cancer (Gastroenterology 2005;128:1468-70. Am J Gastroenterol 1999;94:20-29) DEFINITION: Cancer of the esophagus EPIDEMIOLOGY: Incidence <10/100,000 However, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has increased sharply in U.S. The incidence of…

Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis DEFINITION: A rare, nonparasitic inflammatory disease of the GI tract with various degrees of eosinophilic infiltration anywhere in the tubular intestinal tract and biliary tree in the absence…

Eosinophilic Esophagitis DEFINITION: Characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the esophagus presumably due to allergic or idiopathic causes EPIDEMIOLOGY: Not well studied, but reported in several countries in the world Majority…

Dysphagia/Odynophagia (Gastroenterology. 1999;117:229-32 & 233-54) DEFINITION: Difficulty swallowing and passing food from the mouth or esophagus to the stomach Divided into: Oropharyngeal or Esophageal (See Etiologies below) Globus (hystericus): feeling…

Dyspepsia (Indigestion) (Am J Gastroenterol. 2005;100:2324-37; Gastroenterology. 1998;114:579-81 & 582-95) DEFINITION: Chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in upper abdomen Patients with predominant or frequent (>once/week) heartburn should be…

Diverticula of Esophagus (Zenker’s) DEFINITION: Zenker’s Diverticula: upper esophageal diverticula Traction Diverticula: midesophageal diverticula Epiphrenic Diverticula: distal esophageal diverticula PATHOPHYSIOLOGY: Zenker’s: Impaired cricopharyngeal compliance, usually due to fibrotic changes, causes…

Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) (Gastroenterol 2006;131:1392-99 & 2005;128:1468-70. Am J. Gastroenterol 2002;97:1888-95) DEFINITION: Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is displacement of the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) proximally to the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and intestinal…

Achalasia (Am J Gastroenterol. 1999;94:3406-12. Gastroenterology. 1999;117:229-32 & 233-54) DEFINITION: Achalasia = “lack of relaxation”; The hallmark is the failure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax Secondary features…