One of the most common diseases of the digestive system is inflammation of the esophagus - esophagitis. The symptoms of this disease are familiar to many. This is pain during eating, heartburn, dysphagia. By the nature of the course, acute, subacute and chronic forms of esophagitis are distinguished.
Causes of Esophagitis
The acute form of esophagitis occurs due to the irritating effects of aggressive factors, for example, hot or too cold food, drugs, chemicals (acids, iodine, alkalis, etc.). Damage to the mucous membrane can occur as a result of infectious diseases (scarlet fever, diphtheria, septic diseases). Subacute and chronic forms of the disease develop due to the constant prolonged exposure to roughage, alcohol, harmful factors in the workplace. With a diagnosis of Chronic Esophagitis, the symptoms of this disease can be combined with other concomitant diseases of the digestive system, such as gastritis, gastroduodenitis. Separate isolated congestive esophagitis arising from stagnation of food and difficulties in its passage as a result of diverticulum of the esophagus. But the most common cause of the chronic form of the disease remains peptic esophagitis, the symptoms of which develop when acidic contents enter the esophagus.
The pathophysiology of esophagitis
Catarrhal (superficial esophagitis), erosive, hemorrhagic, pseudomembranous and necrotic esophagitis are distinguished from the severity of the process. And also there is phlegmon and the formation of an abscess of the esophagus. A complication of a long-existing inflammatory process is stricture (narrowing) of the esophagus and its narrowing.
Acute esophagitis, symptoms of the disease
Manifestations of the disease depend on the form of esophagitis, its causes and the prevalence of the inflammatory process. Usually these are pains behind the sternum when eating, there may be a violation of swallowing, a feeling of rawness. With erosive and hemorrhagic esophagitis, vomiting occurs with an admixture of blood. The chronic form of the disease is characterized by heartburn, burning and soreness behind the sternum. Reflux esophagitis causes burning and belching of the gastric contents, especially when tilting the body.
Especially severe, with severe intoxication, severe forms of the disease occur with diphtheria, abscess and phlegmon of the esophagus.
Complications
Complications develop mainly with phlegmon and abscess. Bleeding or perforation of the esophagus wall may occur. Prolonged chronic inflammatory processes can lead to stenosis and shortening of the esophagus.
Diagnosis of esophagitis
The diagnosis is made based on the patient's characteristic complaints. The main diagnostic diagnostic method is endoscopic examination of the esophagus (esophagoscopy). This is a method that determines the nature of the inflammatory process and its prevalence. During its conduct, a biopsy of the mucous membrane is taken. X-ray method using barium allows you to judge the patency of the esophagus, the presence of diverticula.
Treatment
With this disease, proper nutrition is important . The diet for esophagitis includes the use of thermally and mechanically sparing food in small portions, carefully chewed. From medications prescribed enveloping drugs with anesthetics (almagel), bismuth preparations.
With peptic esophagitis, conservative treatment is carried out aimed at preventing the throwing of food into the esophagus. Prohibit heavy physical labor associated with abdominal tension, slopes. The medications are the same as for the treatment of acute esophagitis. If the reflux of food from the stomach is associated with a hernia and conservative therapy has no effect, surgical treatment is indicated, the purpose of which is to eliminate the hernia and restore the cardia.