Esophagitis - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Esophagitis - Defeat inflammatory esophageal mucosa. Manifestations of esophagitis can be a burning pain behind the breastbone, violation of swallowing, heartburn, increased salivation. Complication of esophagitis may be the peptic ulcer, stenosis, perforation of the esophagus, Barrett's disease. Diagnosis is made up of a minimum of esophagoscopy, endoscopic biopsy and esophageal radiography. Treatment is prescribed based on the etiology of esophagitis; It includes diet, medication, physical therapy; if necessary - surgical treatment of esophageal narrowing (probing, dissection of scar stricture, etc).

  • Classification of esophagitis
  • Etiology and pathogenesis
  • Symptoms of acute esophagitis
  • Symptoms of chronic esophagitis
  • Complications of esophagitis
  • Diagnosis esophagitis
  • Treatment of acute esophagitis
  • Treatment of chronic esophagitis
  • The prognosis for esophagitis
  • Prevention of esophagitis
  • Esophagitis - Treatment
  • Esophagitis - Illustrations

    • Esophagitis


    infectious lesions, gastritis, gastric casting (sometimes with bile) from the stomach. Esophagitis due to reflux (casting) of gastric contents stands out as a separate disease - gastroesophageal reflux disease.

    Gastroenterology distinguish catarrhal, edema, erosive, pseudomembranous hemorrhagic, exfoliative, abscess and necrotic esophagitis.

    Catarrhal and edematous esophagitis (most common form) are limited to mucosal hyperemia and edema of her. In acute infectious process, as well as chemical and thermal burns of the esophagus may develop mucosal erosions (erosive esophagitis). When severe infection occurs often develop necrotic form. Hemorrhagic Esophagitis is accompanied by bleeding in the esophagus wall. If pseudomembranous form fibrous exudate not spliced ​​with submucosal tissue unlike exfoliative esophagitis. Cellulitis of the esophagus, usually develops in the wall of the esophagus is damaged by a foreign body.

    According to the location and extent of inflammation distinguish distal, proximal and total esophagitis.

    Classification of esophagitis on the extent of damage is different for acute and chronic course of the disease. Acute esophagitis and esophageal burns are divided into three levels:

  • surface damage and without erosive ulcers;
  • defeat the entire thickness of the mucosa with ulcerative defect and necrosis;
  • defeat extends to submucosal layers are formed deep defects with the possibility of perforation of the esophagus wall, bleeding. After healing, the formation of scar stricture.


    • Chronic esophagitis severity of lesions on the wall is divided into 4 degrees according to Savary and Miller classification (Classification of endoscopic signs of chronic esophagitis):

  • hyperemia without erosive defects in the distal;
  • scattered small erosive mucosal defects;
  • mucosal erosion merge with each other;
  • canker mucous stenosis.


    • influenza, fungal infection, diphtheria, etc.).;
  • physical damage (burns, trauma when administered to probe damage by foreign bodies);
  • chemical burns (corrosive chemicals damage);
  • allergic reaction to foods (usually combined with other signs of allergy).


    • The most severe damage to the esophagus are after burns.

    In the pathogenesis of infectious esophagitis major factor in the development of inflammation is considered to decrease the body's immune properties.

    Causes of chronic esophagitis also varied:

  • nutritional esophagitis (the use of very hot, spicy food, strong alcohol);
  • Professional esophagitis (work related to the inhalation of vapors of corrosive chemicals);
  • stagnant esophagitis (irritation of residues accumulated during cooking all sorts of difficulties evacuation function of the esophagus);
  • allergic esophagitis (develops due to food allergies);
  • dismetabolic esophagitis (disorders associated with metabolism - hypovitaminosis, micronutrient deficiency and tissue hypoxia, prolonged intoxication of the body, etc);
  • idiopathic ulcerous esophagitis (a special form of chronic esophageal inflammation of unknown etiology, morphologically similar to ulcerative colitis and granulomatous esophagus (non-specific regional constrictive esophagitis).


    • As a separate illness isolated peptic or reflux esophagitis. It develops due to gastroesophageal reflux disease ( of gastric contents cast into the esophagus), sometimes combined with duodeno-gastric reflux reflux from the stomach into the esophagus can occur for the following reasons: failure of the cardia (lower esophageal sphincter), hiatal hernia (hiatal hernia); insufficient length of the esophagus

    . . acute esophagitis is directly dependent on the severity of inflammation in the lining of the esophagus.

    in the form of catarrhal esophagitis can occur without clinical symptoms, only occasionally appearing esophagus increased sensitivity to hot or cold food.

    Severe esophagitis manifest severe pain symptoms (acute, severe, burning pain in the chest radiating to the neck and back), swallowing disorders (dysphagia) due to severe pain, heartburn, increased salivation.

    In extreme cases - vomiting blood up to a state of shock. Heavily flowing esophagitis after a week may be replaced by a period of imaginary well-being (sharp stuhanie symptoms, even eating solid food possible), but without adequate treatment after a few weeks (3 months) healing severe defects esophageal wall may lead to the formation of rough scars and stenosis, that lead to the progression of the food dysphagia and regurgitation.

    asthma, frequent pneumonia. Symptoms of respiratory disorders manifested typically at night, in a horizontal position.

    Chronic esophagitis can occur with pain in the sternum xiphoid area, radiating to the back and neck. For chronic esophagitis is characterized by moderately severe pain syndrome.

    In infants esophageal sphincter deficiency can be diagnosed by repeated mild regurgitation immediately after feeding in the horizontal position. When persistent regurgitation may develop symptoms of malnutrition.

    stenosis) esophageal lumen (leads to disruption of the passage of food into the stomach, weight loss);
  • perforation of the wall of the esophagus (perforation) - complication, life-threatening, requires urgent surgical intervention;
  • purulent complications of esophagitis - abscess, cellulitis (usually result from damage to the esophageal foreign body);
  • Barrett's disease (after prolonged reflux esophagitis without adequate treatment develop degeneration of the epithelium of the esophagus - metaplasia). Barrett's esophagus - a precancerous condition.


    • esophagoscopy), which shows changes in the lining of their severity. Endoscopic examination of the esophagus is carried out not earlier than the sixth day after the onset of severe clinical picture. Indications for endoscopic examination detected individually. If necessary, take endoscopic mucosal biopsy and examined histologically.

    Disturbances of motor function of the esophagus detected by esophageal motility study. esophagus X-ray reveals the changes of the esophagus contours, ulceration, swelling of the walls and accumulation of mucus.

    amplipulse;
  • reduce pain ganglioblokatorov electrophoresis;
  • mud and balneotherapy.


    • In severe reflux esophagitis with stricture, ulcers and stenosis physical therapy is contraindicated. Operations in stenosis of the esophagus are as endoscopic dissection strictures, expansion or probing the esophagus. According to testimony carried out resection of the esophagus and plastic.

    gastroenterologist and optionally - treatment. Patients with chronic esophagitis to prevent relapse as shown spa treatment.