Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease (CD) commonly presents as involvement of the small bowel or colon - the esophagus is rarely involved. The authors describe the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with odynophagia and was found to have aphthous ulcers of the esophagus. On questioning, she admitted to three to f...

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Main Authors: Paul L Beck, Philip K Blustein, Melvin A Andersen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1994-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1994/764097
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author Paul L Beck
Philip K Blustein
Melvin A Andersen
author_facet Paul L Beck
Philip K Blustein
Melvin A Andersen
author_sort Paul L Beck
collection DOAJ
description Crohn’s disease (CD) commonly presents as involvement of the small bowel or colon - the esophagus is rarely involved. The authors describe the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with odynophagia and was found to have aphthous ulcers of the esophagus. On questioning, she admitted to three to four episodes of nonbloody diarrhea, each lasting less than one week, over the past two years. The patient denied other symptoms of gastrointestinal, collagen-vascular, respiratory or cardiovascular disease. Viral, fungal and bacterial cultures of blood, stool and tissue biopsies were all negative. A small bowel enema showed inflammation of the distal ileum. Colonoscopy revealed patchy areas of inflammation of the colon and distal ileum. Biopsies from the esophagus, duodenum, terminal ileum and colon showed chronic inflammation, lymphoid aggregates, goblet cell hyperplasia (in the colon) and crypt abscesses. Giant cells, granulomas and fissures were not evident in any of the biopsies. The patient failed to respond to a three-week course of omeprazole, but her symptoms resolved within three days of starting prednisone. The exact cause of the esophageal ulcerations is unknown but most likely is CD of the esophagus.
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spelling doaj-art-9829739464914eb58af25a5181c207702025-02-03T05:59:55ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Gastroenterology0835-79001994-01-018210110410.1155/1994/764097Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?Paul L Beck0Philip K Blustein1Melvin A Andersen2Departments of Medicine and Pathology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartments of Medicine and Pathology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartments of Medicine and Pathology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaCrohn’s disease (CD) commonly presents as involvement of the small bowel or colon - the esophagus is rarely involved. The authors describe the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with odynophagia and was found to have aphthous ulcers of the esophagus. On questioning, she admitted to three to four episodes of nonbloody diarrhea, each lasting less than one week, over the past two years. The patient denied other symptoms of gastrointestinal, collagen-vascular, respiratory or cardiovascular disease. Viral, fungal and bacterial cultures of blood, stool and tissue biopsies were all negative. A small bowel enema showed inflammation of the distal ileum. Colonoscopy revealed patchy areas of inflammation of the colon and distal ileum. Biopsies from the esophagus, duodenum, terminal ileum and colon showed chronic inflammation, lymphoid aggregates, goblet cell hyperplasia (in the colon) and crypt abscesses. Giant cells, granulomas and fissures were not evident in any of the biopsies. The patient failed to respond to a three-week course of omeprazole, but her symptoms resolved within three days of starting prednisone. The exact cause of the esophageal ulcerations is unknown but most likely is CD of the esophagus.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1994/764097
spellingShingle Paul L Beck
Philip K Blustein
Melvin A Andersen
Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
title Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
title_full Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
title_fullStr Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
title_full_unstemmed Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
title_short Aphthous Esophagael Ulceration: A Novel Presentation of Crohn’s Disease?
title_sort aphthous esophagael ulceration a novel presentation of crohn s disease
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1994/764097
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