Esophagus: Inflammatory and infectious diseases

Abstract

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) typically present with heartburn and regurgitation, but some individuals may develop epigastric or right upper quadrant pain that mimics peptic ulcer disease or even cholecystitis. Other patients may present with signs or symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to ulceration from reflux esophagitis, or they may present with dysphagia due to spasm from reflux esophagitis or the development of reflux-induced strictures in the distal esophagus (Levine 2008a).