The Arduous Path to Diagnosis in a Patient With a Unique Cause of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract

In the following report, we document a case of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) emerging from a peculiar etiology. A 20-year-old male presented to the out-patient department (OPD) of ear, nose & throat (ENT) of Dow University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, by referral from remote hospitals with a complaint of stomach upset. Upon a detailed historical assessment of the patient, the picture of a convoluted path to diagnosis emerged. Considering the patient's short stature and a bony mass on the mandible, a full body bone scan was ordered, uncovering a brown tumor. An elevated serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) level was detected in the presence of elevated serum calcium and low vitamin D levels. Upon subsequent computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a cystic tumor of the pancreas was discovered in addition to a parathyroid adenoma which was promptly operated upon through a right-sided parathyroidectomy. The procedure successfully controlled the serum calcium levels of this patient which are suspected to have produced his gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms. This case highlights the importance of accessible medical infrastructure and one of the unique causes of GERD.