Slideshow: Cases Involving the Esophagus

In this slideshow, click through to learn about 4 different conditions affecting the esophagus. Each slide links to the full case report for more details.

A 34-year-old man presented to the emergency department with the inability to pass oral secretions after attempting to swallow a multivitamin pill. The patient had no prior history of dysphagia or atopy. He was an active smoker. His family history was noncontributory.

Diagnostic tests. Initial neck radiographs showed no radiopaque foreign body and no epiglottic swelling. Subsequent non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scans of the neck and chest revealed a hyperdense lesion with associated circumferential esophageal swelling in the cervical esophagus at the C7-T1 level (Figure). A 4 × 3-mm focus of gas was also noted below the level of the obstruction, a finding concerning for esophageal diverticulum as opposed to tracheal bronchus.

Read the full case report here.

A 53-year-old man presented to the emergency department and was subsequently admitted to the medical ward with hematemesis, melena, and atypical chest pain, all occurring intermittently for the past few days. He described the chest pain as “burning” and reported that it was provoked by eating.

Find out more about this patient here and the condition here.

A 15-year-old boy was transferred to the emergency department from an outside hospital because of abdominal discomfort and persistent emesis that had developed after he had eaten a hot dog and part of it became lodged in his throat. The patient had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, for which he took methylphenidate extended-release tablets. His father had peptic ulcer disease, and his mother had allergic rhinitis. His 16-year-old sister was healthy.

Read the full case report here.

A 9-year-old boy was brought to the emergency department after complaining that a piece of chicken was stuck in his throat. He had dinner 3 hours earlier. According to the mother, he had been complaining of mid-sternal chest pain since that time. On examination, he was sitting forward, drooling, and in considerable discomfort. He had mild tachycardia (112 beats per minute), but vital signs were otherwise normal.

The patient underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (Figure), during which a piece of chicken was removed.

Read the details of this case here.

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