Eosinophilic infiltration of the esophagus: gastroesophageal reflux versus eosinophilic esophagitis in children--discussion on daily practice

Background/purpose

Children presenting with persistent symptoms attributed to gastroesophaeal reflux disease (GERD) that are unresponsive to both medical and surgical therapies are commonly submitted to esophageal biopsies, the results of which show an abnormal presence of eosinophils. In this setting, eosinophilic esophagitis may be the correct diagnosis. The purpose of this report is to clarify the importance of esophageal eosinophilic infiltration, regardless of whether associated with acid reflux, ie, as an independent symptomatic entity, when treating a patient with refractory GERD.

Methods

Two boys, aged 8 and 7 years, had the classic symptoms of GERD. They were treated with antacid without improvement of the esophagic lesions. Subsequent esophageal biopsy results showed marked eosinophilic infiltration. From this moment on, eosinophilic esophagitis started to be considered the main diagnosis.

Results

Although eosinophilic infiltration caused by GERD is very frequently found in esophageal biopsy, in case of refractory drug treatment and microscopic findings of a great number of eosinophils and mast cells, eosinophilic esophagitis must be considered. This disease is better treated with corticoids instead of antacid drugs. It explains the reason some patients do not respond to antacid and surgical treatment and remain symptomatic with esophagic lesions.

Conclusions

In refractory cases of GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis must be considered before any surgical measure.     

Marked eosinophilia in esophageal mucosal biopsies

The significance of marked eosinophilic infiltration in esophageal mucosal biopsy specimens was evaluated in 11 patients. The patients were generally young, with an average age of 14.6 years; all had diffuse intraepithelial eosinophilia in several biopsies. Ten patients (91%) had evidence for reflux esophagitis, which was associated with esophageal stricture in three of the six patients older than 1 year. Marked esophageal eosinophilia might therefore indicate prolonged or severe gastroesophageal reflux. One patient with peripheral eosinophilia, a history of asthma, and concurrent idiopathic eosinophilic gastroenteritis lacked evidence of reflux and represents a case of idiopathic esophagitis. Critical review of the literature establishes three additional cases. Idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis is an unusual variant of idiopathic, but presumably allergic, eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract.     

Esophageal Rupture in a Patient With Idiopathic Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis is an extremely rare condition with fewer than 20 cases described in the literature. We present a case presenting as an emergency with esophageal perforation that eventually required subtotal esophagectomy.     

胸段食管鳞癌的多学科综合治疗

食管癌患者就诊时大多已为中晚期,第七版UICC食管癌新分期Ⅲ期以上肿瘤单纯手术切除往往疗效不满意,系统性的多学科治疗至关重要.越来越多的证据表明术前同期放化疗是最为有效的诱导治疗方式,可使肿瘤降期并提高根治性切除率;针对食管鳞癌中常见的多组、多野淋巴结转移患者,术前诱导化疗不失为可行的选择.对于已根治性手术切除的局部进展期肿瘤,术后辅助放疗或有助于弥补手术清扫范围的不足以加强局控;术后辅助化疗的作用亦有待进一步深入研究.胸段食管鳞癌与西方国家常见的食管下段腺癌有本质的不同,需要积累更多的前瞻性临床研究,以形成适合我国食管癌患者的综合治疗模式.     

Fate of the distal esophageal remnant following esophageal replacement

When a colon segment is used for esophageal replacement in patients with esophageal atresia, the distal esophageal remnant is often left in place. We recently treated two patients who developed esophagitis in their esophageal remnants and did not respond to cimetidine and antacids. They were treated by esophagectomy at 22 and 37 years of age with relief of symptoms. One had an ulcer and stricture near the gastroesophageal junction and the second had gastric mucosa (Barrett's esophagus) replacing most of the squamous epithelium. Six additional patients were then reviewed who had resection of their distal esophageal segments between 1978 and 1987. Esophagitis was present in all. Also identified were two specimens with Barrett's esophagus and four with mural bronchial glands as well as surface respiratory and metaplastic squamous epithelium in two, and cartilagenous remnants in two. The findings of chronic inflammation in the esophageal remnant and three cases of Barrett's esophagus raise concern about the possible long-term complication of malignancy. Therefore, we recommend that esophagectomy be performed at the time of esophageal replacement if feasible, or later if symptoms occur or barium studies show esophagitis or ulceration.     

High incidence of reflux esophagitis observed by routine endoscopic examination after gastric pull-up esophagectomy

Abstract A gastric tube has been widely used for reconstruction of the esophagus after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Reflux esophagitis after esophagectomy is frequently observed. Therefore we retrospectively investigated the risk factors for reflux esophagitis after gastric pull-up esophagectomy in 74 outpatients with thoracic esophageal cancer. Reflux esophagitis was diagnosed endoscopically. Esophagitis was classified according to the Los Angeles classification. Reflux symptoms, medications, and the surgical procedure were reviewed. The relation between reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis and the influence of the anastomotic site were evaluated. Reflux esophagitis was observed in 53 patients. Severe esophagitis (grade C or D) was found in 75.6% of these patients. Although all patients with esophagitis took antacid agents, histamine receptor-2 blocker was effective in only 35% of them. The correlation between reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis was not significant. Reflux esophagitis was present in 56.4% of patients with neck anastomosis and in 88.6% of patients with intrathoracic anastomosis (p = 0.0039). We concluded that routine endoscopic examination is necessary after gastric pull-up esophagectomy because reflux esophagitis is not diagnosed based on reflux symptoms. When a gastric tube is used for reconstruction after esophagectomy, neck anastomosis is recommended to lower the risk of reflux esophagitis. Electronic Publication     

Total duodenal diversion for treatment of reflux esophagitis uncontrolled by repeated antireflux procedures.

The operations of Nissen, Hill, and Belsey are adequate in controlling esophaegeal reflux in the majority of patients. In a small percentage however, objective and subjective evidence of esophagitis persists in spite of repeated operations to restore lower esophageal sphincter competency. These failures are then usually treated by operative procedures of great magnitude involving organ interposition. Repeated antireflux operations directed to the gastroesophageal area may in some instances result in impairment of blood supply with an increased risk of both esophageal and gastric fistulae. In the past many observers have felt that reflux esophagitis resulted solely from the effects of acid-pepsin secretions bathing the distal esophagus. Recently experimental and clinical data have indicated the importance of duodenal contents in the etiology and perpetuation of reflux esophagitis. During a recent two year period, 6 patients with persistent reflux esophagitis uncontrolled by repeated antireflux procedures have been seen on our service. These 6 patients, underwent 12 unsuccessful antireflux operations elsewhere. Three of the 6 patients had also been subjected to vagotomy-antrectomy for a coexisting duodenal ulcer. A marked lowering of gastric acidity took place but esophageal reflux and esophagitis persisted. These three patients were treated on our service by takedown of the Billroth I anastomosis, closure of the duodenal stump and diversion of the duodenal contents into a Roux-en-Y limb. Three other patients who had undergone unsuccessful antireflux procedures alone were subjected to antral resection, Roux-en-Y diversion and transthoracid vagotomy. This simplified appraoch to the treatment of persistent esophageal reflux uncontrolled by repeated antireflux procedures has given satisfactory results. The operation should be considered when technical considerations preclude further surgical attempts to perform another effective antireflux operation. Total duodenal diversion should, however, not be considered as the primary operation for the patient suffering from reflux esophagitis. However, in circumstances discussed above this direct approach appears preferable to major resectional procedures.     

Excision of esophageal duplication cysts with robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Esophageal duplication cysts are infrequent anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract that are predominantly found in children. The conventional surgical approach for removal of these cysts is an open surgery one with a posterolateral thoracotomy incision. However, more recently, these cysts have been excised via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In this article, we present 2 pediatric patients treated with successful excision of an esophageal duplication cyst via robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) using the da Vinci surgical system. With robotic technology, precise dissection and complete resection of the thoracic mass was achieved without violating the esophageal mucosa. There were no complications, and the patients did not require placement of a postoperative chest tube. Pathological examination of the mass was consistent with an esophageal (foregut) duplication cyst in both cases.     

Eosinophilic esophagitis in cystic fibrosis: A case series and review of the literature

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) frequently experience gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, emesis, malnutrition and indigestion; diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), distal intestinal obstructive syndrome, and cholelithiasis are commonly implicated. We have recently diagnosed eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in three patients with CF. EoE is a TH-2 driven, allergen-mediated disease which causes esophageal eosinophilia and presents with symptoms of nausea, feeding intolerance, regurgitation, and dysphagia. EoE is diagnosed when esophageal biopsies reveal greater than 15 eosinophils per high power field in the setting of the appropriate clinical scenario and after exclusion of other causes of esophageal eosinophilia. Although described with increasing frequently in the gastrointestinal literature, there have been no prior cases documenting the co-existence of EoE and CF. We speculate that this is related to lack of familiarity with EoE symptoms by CF providers. We present three patients with CF diagnosed with EoE and review the current literature regarding diagnosis and management, focusing on management issues in patients with CF.     

Solitary Nodal Recurrence in the Dorsal Area of the Thoracic Aorta After a Curative Resection of Esophageal Cancer: Report of Two Cases

Although locoregional recurrence is often observed in the cervicothoracic area even after an esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection (3FL), recurrence in the mediastinal lymph nodes is relatively rare. We experienced two cases of solitary recurrence in a posterior mediastinal node (No 112-ao) after a curative resection for thoracic esophageal cancer. The lymph node recurrence was located in the connective tissue adjacent to the left posterior wall of the thoracic aorta, and thus could not have been removed by the conventional approach of an esophagectomy through a right thoracotomy. These two patients underwent surgical removal of the tumor through left thoracotomy, and survived for 5 years and 1 year without recurrence, respectively. Because the rate of metastasis in this area appears to be low, it is not always necessary to perform complete nodal dissection of the left side of the descending aorta at the initial surgery in cases of thoracic esophageal cancer. However, our experience suggests the importance of periodic computed tomography scans to check for any nodal recurrence in this area, since a surgical resection may be effective when the recurrence is detected as a solitary metastasis.     

Surgical treatment for reflux esophagitis

Recently, proton pump inhibitors and the laparoscopic Nissen operation were introduced clinically for the treatment of reflux esophagitis. Although the laparoscopic Nissen operation is becoming increasingly common world wide, medical therapy is still considered the treatment of choice for reflux esophagitis. The indications for surgical treatment of reflux esophagitis are: 1) patients resistant to medical therapy, especially younger patients; 2) free reflux patients; 3) patients with shortened esophagus or stenosis; and 4) patients with respiratory complications. The selection of surgical method is as follows: 1) the fundamentally laparoscopic Nissen procedure should be selected for relatively younger patients with good peristalsis in the esophageal body; 2) the laparoscopic Toupet method or the Dor method should be selected for patients with poor esophageal peristalsis; 3) the Tokai University method is suitable for patients with any condition; 4) the Collis-Nissen method, modified Deitel method, or Deitel-Nissen method is suitable for patients with acquired short esophagus; 5) resection and jejunal interposition or double tract reconstruction should be performed in patients with severe stenosis. Numerous problems remain in the surgical treatment of reflux esophagitis.     

Gastric tube interposition for corrosive esophagitis associated with pyloric stenosis

Corrosive esophagitis, caused by swallowing corrosive acid or alkali, results in cicatricial stricture of the esophagus. The stricture is often accompanied by pyloric stenosis because strong acids act synergistically with gastric juice. Resection of both the esophagus and stomach is usually necessary, and the colon or jejunum is used as an esophageal substitute. We describe how we successfully treated corrosive esophagitis associated with pyloric stenosis, by performing gastric tube interposition for the esophageal reconstruction. After resecting the injured distal part of the stomach, we pulled the pedunculated gastric tube up to the cervix after anastomosis to the jejunal limb in a Roux-en-Y fashion. This reconstruction procedure prevented excessive organ sacrifice and was minimally invasive. Thus, esophageal reconstruction by interposition using a pedunculated gastric tube can be used effectively to treat corrosive esophagitis associated with pyloric stenosis.     

Patterns of pediatric gastroesophageal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in the pediatric patient is a frequently recognized problem. Unlike the adult, in whom symptoms relating to esophagitis predominate, the infant and child may present with a variety of respiratory problems, vomiting and/or growth failure. GER is often seen in association with other conditions and must be considered in the evaluation of any pediatric patient with chronic recurring respiratory problems, vomiting or failure to thrive (FTT). Thirty-eight pediatric patients have been surgically managed at West Virginia University from 1977-1983 for GER. The patients fall into several different patterns of presentation and associated problems. Nine premature infants all with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have undergone fundoplication for FTT, worsening BPD, and pneumonia. Seven infants and two older children had GER associated with previous esophageal atresia repairs. Esophagitis, vomiting and growth failure were the predominant complaints in this group, though all nine patients had recurring respiratory symptoms as well. Syndromes involving mental retardation and neurologic dysfunction affected another group of five patients, all of whom presented with the complications of long-term esophagitis. The remaining 15 children were otherwise healthy infants who had predominantly respiratory symptoms due to GER. The benefits of fundoplication in these severely affected infants and children far outweigh the relatively few complications. In the carefully selected patient, surgical management of GER is dramatically successful.     

Appropriate extent of lymphadenectomy in esophageal cancer]

Because of the high frequency and widespread distribution of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer, three-field dissection was introduced in the early 1980s. Although improvement in the long-term survival rate of patients who undergo three-field dissection has been reported, the clinical significance of cervical lymphadenectomy is still controversial because the effect of improved upper-mediastinal lymphadenectomy in these patients cannot be excluded. Recently, the sentinel node (SN) concept has been validated in gastrointestinal cancers including esophageal cancer using the radio-guided method. Aberrant drainage routes from the primary lesion have frequently been observed in esophageal cancer and are detectable by radio-guided SN mapping. SN navigation is useful to identify SNs as the functional first basin to evaluate the regional lymph node status and to determine the indications for extensive lymphadenectomy in patients with esophageal cancer. Individualized surgical management of patients with esophageal cancer is essential to improve the quality of life of patients and long-term results.     

Nonreflux complications of hiatal hernia

Patients with massive incarcerated hiatal hernia and no appreciable esophagitis present with a distinctly different clinical picture from those with hiatal hernia and reflux peptic esophagitis. In a recent review, 17 patients were encountered with this problem. The patients were often elderly and presented with the following grave complications: upper gastrointestinal obstruction; upper gastrointestinal bleeding, both acute and chronic, from gastric ulcerations; and perforated gastric ulcerations. In these patients, the surgical approach is better accomplished through the abdominal route. These patients should be distinguished from those with a shortened esophagus resulting from chronic reflux peptic esophagitis who often require thoracotomy for surgical correction.     

Taurodeoxycholate modulates the effects of pepsin and trypsin in experimental esophagitis

Pepsin and trypsin cause erosive, hemorrhagic lesions in our rabbit model of experimental esophagitis. Since the gastroduodenal contents of patients with reflux esophagitis may also contain bile salts, we used our model to determine the effect that a bile salt, taurodeoxycholate (TDC), would have on the esophageal mucosa when combined with either pepsin in an acid perfusate (pH 2) or trypsin in an alkaline perfusate (pH 7.5). Indexes of esophageal injury included gross appearance of the mucosa, microscopic examination, and mucosal barrier integrity as determined by permeability to hydrogen ion. We found that when 5 mM TDC was combined with pepsin (0.3 mg/ml), the gross and microscopic changes of esophagitis, as well as net hydrogen ion flux, were diminished when compared with those observed with pepsin exposure alone. When increasing concentrations of TDC (2 to 10 mM) were added to pepsin, the morphologic degree of injury as well as hydrogen ion flux decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, when 5 mM TDC was combined with trypsin (1000 U/ml) in the alkaline perfusate, the gross and microscopic changes of esophagitis and the net of hydrogen ion flux were increased when compared with either bile salt or trypsin alone. These effects were also dose dependent. These data demonstrate that bile salts present in the gastroduodenal contents of patients with reflux esophagitis have the capacity to modulate the effects of pepsin and trypsin on the esophageal mucosa.     

Medical Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Medical treatment is effective in the majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Lifestyle modifications are often recommended for patients with GERD, although the data supporting lifestyle recommendations are limited. Antacids are often used to treat the symptoms of GERD, but their effect is short-lived. H2-receptor antagonists and proton-pump inhibitors provide more effective options for remission of GERD symptoms and healing of esophagitis. Prokinetic medications (e.g., metoclopramide) have not been proven to help in the control of symptoms. Baclofen, which inhibits transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, provide an additional option for patients with persistent symptoms related to GERD; however its use is limited by side effects. Long-term medical therapy for GERD should be tailored to each patient to provide symptomatic control and maintain esophageal mucosal healing.     

Combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery for early cancer of the thoracic esophagus

From June 1997 to July 2002, we enrolled 10 patients with T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma according to the findings of chest computerized tomography scans and transesophageal ultrasound. There were nine men and one woman. The average age was 57.1 years (range, 43-70 years). We performed a combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery including endoscopic esophageal mobilization and mediastinal lymph nodes dissection for early thoracic esophageal carcinoma as well as hand-assisted laparoscopic gastric mobilization as an esophageal substitute under double-lumen intubated anesthesia. The average operative time was 330 minutes (range, 290-425 minutes). The average hospital stay was 11.2 days (range, 9-17 days). There was no surgical mortality or severe complication except one mild leakage of cervical esophagogastrostomy. All patients have tolerated solid food well and are still alive, without evidence of tumor recurrence, after a mean of 37.2 months of follow-up (range, 9-62 months). In conclusion, we suggest that a combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization and mediastinal lymph nodes dissection and hand-assisted laparoscopic mobilization of stomach via a hand-port device for esophageal reconstruction is a safe and feasible operation for patients with T1 thoracic esophageal carcinoma.