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Esophageal and stomach disorders

103 articles

Eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis, also called allergic eosinophilic esophagitis, is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the esophagus and a leading cause of difficulty swallowing in children and young adults.

Erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (erosive oesophagitis, reflux esophagitis): GERD with endoscopic mucosal breaks graded LA A-D; LA-B or higher is conclusive evidence, treated with PPIs or P-CABs.

Esophageal achalasia

Esophageal achalasia: rare esophageal motility disorder with aperistalsis and failed lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, causing dysphagia and regurgitation; treated by pneumatic dilation, Heller myotomy, POEM, or botox.

Esophagitis

Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophagus, the tube carrying food from mouth to stomach, causing difficulty swallowing and chest pain, with causes including acid reflux, allergy, pills, and infection.

Fistula of duodenum

Fistula of duodenum (ICD-11 DA50.2), an abnormal communication between the duodenum and skin or another organ; 3–14% of enterocutaneous fistulas, usually postoperative, with 7–40% mortality.

Foreign body in oesophagus

A foreign body in the esophagus is an ingested object or food bolus lodged in the esophagus, which is the most common site of impaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

Foreign body in stomach

Foreign body in stomach (ICD-11 ND73.2): retention of a swallowed nonfood object in the stomach. Most pass in 4-6 days; sharp objects, magnets, batteries, and objects >2.5 cm or >6 cm need endoscopic removal.

Functional dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gut-brain interaction disorder causing recurrent upper abdominal symptoms without structural disease, affecting 5-10% of people, diagnosed by Rome criteria, with subtypes PDS and EPS and treatments including TCAs and prokinetics.

Functional gastrointestinal disorder

Functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), now disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), chronic GI symptom syndromes diagnosed by Rome criteria; over 40% global prevalence, renamed by Rome IV 2016, Rome V 2026.

Functional heartburn

Functional heartburn (FH): retrosternal burning with normal acid exposure, endoscopy, and manometry, a Rome IV gut-brain disorder distinct from GERD and reflux hypersensitivity; PPIs fail, neuromodulators help.

Gastric antral vascular ectasia

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), or watermelon stomach, is a rare antral vascular malformation causing iron-deficiency anemia and GI bleeding, treated endoscopically with argon plasma coagulation, band ligation, or radiofrequency ablation.

Gastric diverticulum

Gastric diverticulum (stomach diverticulum) is a rare outpouching of the gastric wall, usually congenital, in the posterior fundus. Mostly asymptomatic and incidental; symptomatic GD is a diagnosis of exclusion, treated with PPIs or laparoscopic resection.

Gastric erosion

Gastric erosion (erosion of stomach, ICD-11 DA60.0) is a superficial mucosal breach not penetrating the muscularis mucosae, usually caused by NSAIDs, aspirin, alcohol, or H. pylori, diagnosed at endoscopy and treated with acid suppression.

Gastric phlegmon

Gastric phlegmon, or phlegmonous gastritis (ICD-11 DA42.9), is a rare, rapidly progressive purulent bacterial infection of the stomach wall, usually Streptococcus, with high mortality treated by antibiotics and sometimes gastrectomy.

Gastric polyp

Gastric polyp (stomach polyp), ICD-11 DA44: mucosal or submucosal growth projecting into the stomach lumen, found in about 2% of people and 6% of endoscopies; fundic gland, hyperplastic, and adenomatous types differ in cancer risk.

Gastric ulcer

Gastric ulcer (stomach ulcer, ICD-11 DA60): an acid-and-pepsin breach of the stomach lining over 5 mm deep, mainly caused by Helicobacter pylori or NSAIDs; diagnosed by endoscopy with biopsy, treated with PPIs and eradication therapy.

Gastric varices

Gastric varices are dilated submucosal stomach veins acting as portosystemic collaterals in portal hypertension, classified by Sarin as GOV1, GOV2, IGV1, IGV2; treated with cyanoacrylate, BRTO, or TIPS.

Gastric volvulus

Gastric volvulus: abnormal rotation of the stomach over 180 degrees, organoaxial or mesenteroaxial, causing closed-loop obstruction; Borchardt triad, CT diagnosis, surgical reduction and gastropexy or fundoplication.

Gastritis

Gastritis, inflammation of the stomach lining (mucosa), distinct from gastropathy; most often caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, which affects about half the world's population and can lead to ulcers, atrophic gastritis, and stomach cancer.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD, GORD): chronic condition in which stomach contents reflux into the esophagus causing heartburn, regurgitation, or complications; diagnosed by symptoms, endoscopy, and pH monitoring; treated with PPIs, P-CABs, and antireflux surgery.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, affects about 13% of people worldwide; causes heartburn, regurgitation, esophagitis, and Barrett esophagus; treated with PPIs, lifestyle change, and surgery.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis: chronic delayed gastric emptying without mechanical obstruction, causing nausea, vomiting, and early satiety. Also called diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis; diagnosed by >10% 4-hour retention on scintigraphy.

Gastroptosis

Gastroptosis (gastric prolapse, stomach ptosis), ICD-11 DA40.5: downward displacement of the stomach with the greater curvature below the iliac crest or in the pelvis. Described by Glénard 1833; mainly women 20-50; diagnosed by upright upper GI series; treated with prokinetics, exercises, bandages.

Globus

Globus, also called globus pharyngeus or globus hystericus, is the feeling of a lump stuck in the throat that occurs between meals while swallowing remains normal, a common benign symptom.

Haematemesis

Haematemesis is vomiting of blood, fresh or coffee-ground, signaling upper gastrointestinal bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. Key facts: peptic ulcers cause 43.6% of cases; Glasgow Blatchford score 1 or less identifies outpatient-manageable patients.

Heartburn

Heartburn (pyrosis, acid indigestion): burning chest pain from stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus via a weak lower esophageal sphincter. Over 60 million Americans affected monthly; frequent episodes suggest GERD; treated with antacids, H2 blockers, PPIs.

Helicobacter pylori associated gastric ulcer

Helicobacter pylori associated gastric ulcer (ICD-11 DA60.1): a stomach ulcer caused by H. pylori infection, accounting for 70% of gastric ulcers; eradication therapy prevents recurrence and rebleeding.

Helicobacter pylori induced gastritis

Helicobacter pylori induced gastritis (ICD-11 DA42.1) is stomach lining inflammation from H. pylori infection, progressing from acute to chronic and atrophic gastritis, a gastric cancer risk factor; discovered by Marshall and Warren in 1982, treated by eradication therapy.

Hematemesis

Hematemesis, vomiting of blood, signals upper GI bleeding from peptic ulcers, varices, or Mallory-Weiss tears; distinguished from hemoptysis by acidic, coffee-ground vomit and managed with endoscopy.

Hiatal hernia

Hiatal hernia (hiatus hernia): the stomach's top bulges through the diaphragm's esophageal hiatus. Very common with age (70% over 70); type 1 sliding form is 95% of cases; treated with PPIs or laparoscopic fundoplication.