Oesophageal diseases diagnosed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed on 2982 patients who presented with symptoms and signs related to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Of all these patients, 743 (25%) had the pathology limited to the oesophagus with a normal stomach and duodenum. These 743 patients constituted the material for this study. Of all oesophageal diseases, the most frequent endoscopic diagnosis was mild or moderate oesophagitis occurring in 350 patients (47%). Hiatal hernia with oesophagitis occurred in 232 (31%), oesophageal varices in 87 (12%) and ulcerative strictures in 74 patients (10%). Further histopathological examination of oesophageal biopsies from the latter 74 patients confirmed oesophageal carcinoma in 27 (3.7%), ulcerative oesophagitis in 43 (5.8%) and tuberculous oesophagitis in 4 patients (0.5%). The endoscopic and pathologic findings of these patients are presented and discussed.