Esophagitis dissecans superficialis : a case series of 7 patients and review of the literature

Introduction : Esophagitis dissecans superficialis (EDS) is a rare desquamative disorder of the eso-phagus, characterized by sloughing of the superficial mucosa. It is a benign entity of uncertain etiology. Most cases of EDS are idiopathic but can be caused by medications, hot beverages, chemical irritants, celiac disease and many skin conditions. Aim : Knowing that few case series have described this entity, we decided to review all the cases diagnosed in our center to characterize them. Methods : The pathological institutional database of Erasme University Hospital (Brussels, Belgium) was searched for the diagnosis of EDS. We reviewed retrospectively the clinical and endoscopic findings as well as histological features of all cases of EDS (Table 1). During this period of time, 21497 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies have been performed in our institution.