Publication

A Very Rare Cause of a Relapsing Para-Oesophageal Abscess

Journal Paper/Review - May 19, 2016

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Wespi S, Frei R, Sulz M. A Very Rare Cause of a Relapsing Para-Oesophageal Abscess. Case Rep Gastroenterol 2016; 10:132-8.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Case Rep Gastroenterol 2016; 10
Publication Date
May 19, 2016
Pages
132-8
Brief description/objective

Oesophageal involvement in Crohn's disease (CD) is uncommon and most often accompanied by involvement of more distal parts. Its presentation is mostly non-specific, and therefore a diagnosis, especially in isolated oesophageal disease, is difficult. We present the case of a 42-year-old male patient who was referred to our gastroenterology department because of a para-oesophageal abscess. Under antibiotic treatment the abscess healed, but despite great diagnostic efforts, its aetiology remained unclear. Three years later the patient was hospitalized again because of an abscess at the same site. Endoscopy showed disseminated ulcerations of the lower oesophagus, raising suspicion of CD. After excluding other possible causes, we made the diagnosis of isolated CD of the oesophagus. We review the available literature on this topic and discuss the clinical presentation, symptoms, endoscopic findings, and histology as well as treatment of oesophageal CD.