A 50-year-old man with a history of epilepsy controlled with phenytoin presented for evaluation of dysphagia. History revealed the patient was taking his phenytoin daily without water. Barium esophagram showed severe stricturing of the mid-esophagus. Upper endoscopy revealed diffuse gross mucosal abnormality with a thick stricture and occasional exudate. Biopsies were consistent with a drug-ind...

A 70-year-old man presented to cardiology clinic with recurrent syncope associated with consumption of carbonated beverages. Ambulatory monitoring revealed multiple symptomatic ventricular pauses. A barium esophagram was unremarkable, and the patient underwent placement of a dual chamber pacemaker for deglutition syncope with resolution of symptoms. A challenge of carbonated beverage was given,...

We discuss clinical symptoms and radiological findings of variable esophageal foreign bodies as well as therapeutic procedures in Caucasian pediatric patients. A retrospective study of 192 cases of suspected esophageal foreign bodies between 1998 and 2010 was conducted. Data were statistically analyzed by chi-square test. A foreign body was removed from a digestive tract of 163 children aged 6 ...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of a routine protocol for evaluation of oropharyngeal aspiration after thoracotomy for pulmonary resection. METHODS Demographic, operative, and outcomes data were collected prospectively for consecutive patients undergoing thoracotomy for pulmonary resection starting in April 2005. Starting on postoperative day one, patients underw...

In cases of congenital esophageal stenosis due to tracheobronchial remnants, symptoms of partial esophageal obstruction appear at the time of weaning or during early childhood. In the absence of esophagitis, esophagram combined with cinefluoroscopy demonstrates fixed stenosis of distal esophagus and appears to be diagnostic. Dilatation of rigid stenosis is invariably unrewarding and surgic...