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Esophageal stricture



Esophageal stricture
Classification & external resources
Endoscopic image of a benign peptic stricture
ICD-9 530.3
DiseasesDB 31502
MedlinePlus 000207
eMedicine med/744 

Benign esophageal stricture is a narrowing of the esophagus that causes swallowing difficulties. It can be caused by or associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter, disordered motility, or a hiatal hernia.

It can be diagnosed with an X-Ray while the patient swallows barium (called a barium study of the esophagus), or by an endoscopy (in which a scope is passed into the esophagus).

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects approximately 40% of adults. Strictures occur in 7 to 23% of patients with GERD who are untreated.[1]

If it is caused by esophagitis, then it is treated by treating the infection (typically with antibiotics). It can also be treated with a special balloon that inflates in the esophagus (called "Dilation of the stricture"), or with other medications. For example, an H2 blocker medicine (e.g., ranitidine) or a proton-pump inhibitor (e.g., omeprazole) can treat underlying acid reflux disease.

See also

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Esophageal_stricture". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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