Esophageal manifestation of Crohn's disease

Objectives: Crohn's disease (CD) is a lifelong disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its esophageal manifestation, though rare, may be seen as the first sign of this disease. Methods: Patients with esophageal CD evaluated between 2004 and 2009 were surveyed. Results: Three cases were diagnosed, each with a different clinical picture. The first case was an 18-year-old woman, who presented with dysphagia, odynophagia and a 2kg weight loss. She had oral aphthae and a small perianal fistula. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) revealed punchhole-pattern ulcers in the esophagus. The stoma…