Monteiro S1, Moreira MJ1, Ribeiro JM1, Cotter J1,2.
1Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal.
2School of Medicine, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal.
ABSTRACT
Crohn’s disease (CD) is characterised by a transmural Inflammatory process, which can affect any part of the digestive tract; however, CD with oesophageal presentation is rare. We report a case of a previously healthy young woman with symptoms of dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain and weight loss, who presented oesophageal ulcers at upper endoscopy and whose histology revealed granulomatous oesophagitis. After complementary study, a mild ileocaecal involvement of CD was demonstrated. The patient became asymptomatic with proton pump inhibitor and a course of prednisolone. Mucosal healing was obtained after maintenance therapy with azathioprine. In the absence of extraoesophageal symptoms, oesophageal CD may be overlooked. CD must always be considered as differential diagnosis in the presence of oesophageal ulcers.
