Covert dysphagia in the mentally handicapped: two case reports and a review of published literature.
Mentally handicapped patients with esophageal pathology may present a diagnostic challenge, as they may not complain of any specific symptoms or be able to give a clear history of either dysphagia or odynophagia. This paper reports 2 such patients who recently presented to the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals. In the first case, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy under general anesthesia enabled both the identification and removal of a large esophageal foreign body. In the second case, repeated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy facilitated both the identification and nonsurgical management of a paraesophageal abscess.
Dallal
H J
HJ
Department of Medicine (Section of Gastroenterology), Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, New Cross Hospital, UK.
Odum
J
J
Ahluwalia
N K
NK
D000328:Adult; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed