Crohn's Disease Confined to the Esophagus, with No Involvement of the Small or Large Bowel.

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) is a transmural inflammatory process that can affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. CD has a predilection for the colon and the small bowel, specifically the terminal ileum. Esophageal involvement of CD is exceedingly rare and there is a paucity of data regarding the disease phenotypes, course, complications and treatment. We report a case of an 18-year-old male patient presenting for intermittent dysphagia and epigastric pain. Upper endoscopy revealed esophageal ulcers in the middle esophagus surrounded by normal esophageal mucosa. Biopsies were taken from the ulcerated lesions. Histology revealed granulomatous esophagitis. The stomach and duodenum were unremarkable. An ileo-colonoscopy was performed and showed unremarkable mucosa with normal biopsies. The patient was started on proton pump inhibitors and prednisolone as induction therapy with significant symptomatic improvement within 15 days of therapy. The patient was then started on azathioprine 150 mg once daily as maintenance therapy with complete resolution of symptoms. Esophageal CD is an overlooked entity. This article underscores the need to rule out CD when physicians are confronted by esophageal ulcers on upper endoscopy.

Learning points: Dysphagia as the initial presentation of esophageal Crohn's disease is exceedingly rare.Esophageal Crohn's disease be included in the differential diagnosis of esophageal ulcers in the absence of Crohn's disease of the colon or small bowel.Treatment of esophageal Crohn's disease should be tailored to each patient taking into account the patient's symptoms, disease activity, disease course, phenotype and disease complications.