Benign Diseases of the Esophagus Clinical Features of Benign Esophageal Disease

摘要

Benign esophageal diseases encompass a wide range of frequently encountered diagnoses in the general population. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common esophageal disorder, with epidemi-ologic studies suggesting that approximately 7% of adults in the United States suffer from daily heartburn and up to 30% experience at least one episode per month.1 Of note, those patients complaining of "typical" reflux symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation, or dysphagia represent only a small fraction of the overall population suffering from GERD, with many individuals experiencing "atypical" or occult manifestations and others initially presenting with complications such as Barrett's esophagus or esophageal stricture.2 Many individuals present with derangements in esophageal motility, while others exhibit abnormalities of esophageal anatomy such as a diverticulum or hiatal hernia that also can lead to symptoms, either obvious or covert. Given the simplicity of the esophagus, an organ best characterized as a muscular pump bordered by 2 sphincters and without known endocrine, exocrine, immunologic, digestive, absorptive, or secretory functions, the frequency, diversity, and potential severity of the various manifestations of esophageal pathology is mind-boggling.