title: Can esophageal dilation be avoided in the treatment of severe esophageal stricture caused by eosinophilic esophagitis?
abstract: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an inflammatory immune-mediated disease with predominant eosinophilic inflammation characterized by the presence of esophageal dysfunction symptoms. Treatment delay can be associated with disease complications, like esophageal strictures, that can justify the use of invasive procedures which are not deprived of side effects. We present a case report of a 14 year old child with severe esophageal stricture secondary to EoE, that was treated with topical and systemic corticosteroid before any invasive procedure was considered. After 26 weeks of medical treatment, significant improvement of esophageal dysfunction occurred with histological remission and stricture resolution. In patients with severe esophageal strictures secondary to EoE, the need for esophageal dilation procedures should be considered only after anti-inflammatory treatment.
authors.affiliation: Immunoallergy Department, CUF Descobertas Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Immunoallergy Department, Hospital São João, Oporto, Portugal. Immunoallergy Department, Centro Hospitalar de São João Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-309 Porto, Portugal. Immunoallergy Department, CUF Descobertas Hospital R. Mário Botas, 1998-018 Lisboa, Portugal Phone: + 351 225 512 100 Fax: + 351 225 025 766 E-mail: disolha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Gastroenterology Consultant, Pediatrics Department, Hospital CUF Descobertas, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Immunoallergy Department, CUF Descobertas Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piedade
authors.affiliation: Immunoallergy Department, CUF Descobertas Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morais-Almeida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D057765:Eosinophilic Esophagitis / Q000150:complications*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: corticosteroids; eosinophilic esophagitis; esophageal dilation; esophageal stricture; treatment