Oesophageal Disorders Flashcards
What are the properties of low oesophageal sphincter?
3
High resting pressure in smooth muscle
Striated muscle of right crus of diagram
Mucosal rosette formed by acute angle
What are symptoms of oesophageal disease?
Heartburn
Dysphagia
Odynophagia
What is heartburn
Retrosternal discomfort/burning
Due to reflux of acid/gastric contents into oesophagus
persistent relfux->GORD
What is dysphagia
Location?
What do we need to enquire?
Difficulty swallowing
Enquiries:
-Type of food
-Pattern
-Associated features
Location:
Oropharyngeal/Oesophageal
Odynophagia- pain with swallowing
What are the causes of oesophageal dysphagia?
-benign stricture
- malignant stricture (oesophageal cancer)
- motility disorders (eg achalasia, presbyoesophagus)
- eosinophilic oesophagitis
- extrinsic compression (eg in lung cancer)
What are investigations for oesophageal disease?
- Oesophago-Gastro-Duodenoscopy (OGD)
- Upper GI Endoscopy (UGIE)
Contrast radiology - barium swallow
Oesophageal pH and manometry
When is endoscopy used in oesophageal disease?
In oesophageal disease used in investigation of dysphagia or reflux symptoms with alarm features
What is manometry used for?
Used in investigation of dysphagia / suspected motility disorder
What does manometry measure?
-assesses sphincter tonicity, relaxation of sphincters and oesophageal motility.
checks if oesophagus contracting and relaxing properly
pH studies – used in investigation of refractory heartburn/reflux
What are the motility disorders of the oesophagus?
Hypermotility
Hypomotility
Achalasia
What portion of motility is controlled by the vagus nerve?
Contraction in the oesophageal body and relaxation of the LOS is mediated by the vagus nerve
What is the appearace of hypermotility on a barium swallow?
Corckscrew appearance
What is hypermotility often confused with and why?
Angina/MI becaue of episodic chest pain (with or without dysphagia)
What is hypomotility associated with?
Associated with connective tissue disease,
diabetes, neuropathy
Causes failure of the LOS and therefore causes reflux symptoms
What causes achalasia?
Functional loss of myenteric plexus ganglion cells in distal oesophagus and LOS
What is teh cardinal feature of achalasia?
failure of LOS to relax and therefore distal obstruction of the oesophagus
What are symptoms of achalasia?
- progressive dysphagia for solids and liquids
- weight loss
- Chest pain (30%)
- Regurgitation and chest infection
What is the treatment for achalasia?
Pharmacological - Nitrates,
Calcium Channel blockers
Endoscopic - Botulinum Toxin
Pneumatic balloon dilation
Radiological - Pneumatic balloon
dilation
Surgical - Myotomy
What are the complications of achalasia?
Aspiration pneumonia and lung disease
nIncreased risk of squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma
What causes GORD?
Presence of acid and bile exposure in the lower oesophagus