Is there an association between Helicobacter pylori in the inlet patch and globus sensation?

AIM:To determine the association between Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)and globus sensation(GS)in the patients with cervical inlet patch. METHODS:Sixty-eight patients with esophageal inlet patches were identified from 6760 consecutive patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy prospectively.In these 68 patients with cervical inlet patches, symptoms of globus sensation(lump in the throat), hoarseness,sore throat,frequent clearing of the throat,cough,dysphagia,odynophagia of at least 3 mo duration was questioned prior to endoscopy. RESULTS:Cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa(CHGM) was found in 68 of 6760 patients.The endoscopic prevalence of CHGM was determined to be 1%.H.pylori was identified in 16(23.5%)of 68 patients with inlet patch.53 patients were classified as CHGMⅡ.This group included 48 patients with globus sensation,4 patients with chronic cough and 1 patient with hoarseness.All the patients who were H.pylori(+)in cervical inlet patches had globus sensation.CONCLUSION:Often patients with CHGM have a long history of troublesome throat symptoms.We speculate that disturbances in globus sensation are like non-ulcer dyspepsia.

Cervical inlet patch-optical coherence tomography imaging and clinical significance

AIM:To demonstrate the feasibility of optical coherence tomography(OCT)imaging in differentiating cervical inlet patch(CIP)from normal esophagus,Barrett'sesophagus(BE),normal stomach and duodenum. METHODS:This study was conducted at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System(VABHS).Patients undergoing standard esophagogastroduodenoscopy at VABHS,including one patient with CIP,one representative patient with BE and three representative normal subjects were included.White light video endoscopy was performed and endoscopic 3D-OCT images were obtained in each patient using a prototype OCT system.The OCT imaging probe passes through the working channel of the endoscope to enable simultaneous video endoscopy and 3D-OCT examination of the human gastrointestinal(GI)tract.Standard hematoxylin and eosin(H and E)histology was performed on biopsy or endoscopic mucosal resection specimens in order to compare and validate the 3D-OCT data. RESULTS:CIP was observed from a 68-year old male with gastroesophageal reflux disease.The CIP region appeared as a pink circular lesion in the upper esophagus under white light endoscopy.OCT imaging over the CIP region showed columnar epithelium structure,which clearly contrasted the squamous epithelium structure from adjacent normal esophagus.3D-OCT images obtained from other representative patients demonstrated distinctive patterns of the normal esophagus,BE,normal stomach,and normal duodenum bulb.Microstructures,such as squamous epithelium,lamina propria, muscularis mucosa,muscularis propria,esophageal glands,Barrett's glands,gastric mucosa,gastric glands, and intestinal mucosal villi were clearly observed with OCT and matched with H and E histology.These results demonstrated the feasibility of using OCT to evaluate GI tissue morphology in situ and in real-time. CONCLUSION:We demonstrate in situ evaluation of CIP microstructures using 3D-OCT,which may be a useful tool for future diagnosis and follow-up of patients with CIP.

Issues and controversies in esophageal inlet patch

The proximal esophagus is rarely examined,and its inspection is often inadequate.Optical chromoendoscopy techniques such as narrow band imaging improve the detection rate of inlet patches in the proximal esophagus,a region in which their prevalence is likely underestimated.Various studies have reported correlations between these esophageal marks with different issues such as Barrett’s esophagus,but these findings remain controversial.Conflicting reports complicate the process of interpreting the clinical features of esophageal inlet patches and underestimate their importance.Unfortunately,the limited clinical data and statistical analyses make reaching any conclusions difficult.It is hypothesized that inlet patches are correlated with various esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms,diagnoses and the personalized therapeutic management of patients with inlet patches as well as the differential diagnosis for premalignant lesions or early cancers.Due to its potential underdiagnosis,there are no consensus guidelines for the management and follow up of inlet patches.This review focuses on questions that were raised from published literature on esophageal inlet patches in adults.

Acid suppressive therapy improved symptoms due to circumferential cervical inlet patch with proton pumps(H^+/K^+-ATPase)

Cervical inlet patch(CIP), also referred to as esophageal heterotopic gastric mucosa, is regarded as the residue of columnar epithelium of the embryonic esophagus. Narrow band imaging increases the detection rate of CIP. Herein, we present a 55-year-old man with symptomatic circumferential inlet patch. He exhibited globus and dysphagia, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy found cir-cumferential CIP, where im-munohistochemistry revealed the existence of pro-ton pumps(H^+, K^+ -ATPase). His throat symptoms were relieved by acid suppressive therapy with pump inhibitors. This case indicated that CIP should be considered as a differential diagnosis for the cause of globus symptoms in rare cases.

Clinical significance of heterotopic gastric mucosal patch of the proximal esophagus

Heterotopic gastric mucosa of the proximal esophagus (HGMPE),also referred to as"inlet patch"or"cervical inlet patch",is a salmon colored patch that is usually located just distal to the upper esophageal sphincter. HGMPE is uncommon with endoscopic studies reporting a prevalence ranging from less than one percent to 18%.Most HGMPE are asymptomatic and are detected incidentally during endoscopy for evaluations of other gastrointestinal complaints.Most consider HGMPE as clinically irrelevant entity.The clinical significance of HGMPE is mainly acid related or neoplastic transformation.The reported prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms varies from less than 20%to as high as 73.1%.However,most of these symptoms are mild. Clinically significant acid related complications such as bleeding,ulcerations,structure and fistulization have been reported.Although rare,dysplastic changes and malignancies in association with HGMPE have also been reported.Associations with Barrett's esophagus have also been reported but the findings so far have been conflicting.There are still many areas that are unknown or not well understood and these include the natural history of HGMPE,risk factors for complications,role of Helicobacter pylori infection and factors associated with malignant transformations.Follow-up may need to be considered for patients with complications of HGMPE and surveillance if biopsies show intestinal metaplasia or dysplastic changes.Despite the overall low incidence of clinically relevant manifestations reported in the literature,HGMPE is a clinically significant entity but further researches are required to better understand its clinical significance.

食管入口斑病例报道及临床特点回顾分析

食管入口斑指食管入口区域异位胃粘膜。与Barrett食管不同。本病可引起呼吸和消化道的非特异性症状。如对此病缺乏足够警觉,很易漏诊和误诊。国外对此病的研究和认识比较深入。本文通过回顾国内外以往对此病的认知,并结合我院最近发现的食管入口斑病例,对食管入口斑发病机制、流行病学、组织病理学、临床意义、临床表现,以及诊治原则进行了较系统的回顾性分析。希望提高我国临床和内镜医师对此病的认识,提高检出率,改善对此病患者的诊断和治疗状况。

以呕血为首发表现的食管近段异位胃黏膜一例报道以及与Barrett食管的鉴别分析

目的提高临床和内镜医师对食管近段异位胃黏膜的认识,减少误诊和误诊。方法结合我科近期遇到的1例少见的以呕血为首发表现的食管近段异位胃黏膜病例,进行文献复习,并从发病机制、临床特点、诊断治疗等方面和Barrett食管进行比较系统的比较。结果文献复习表明,虽然食管近段异位胃黏膜和Barrett食管可能有相似的临床表现,诊断也都依赖于胃镜和病理活检检查,但是二者有不同的组织细胞来源、发病机制和临床意义,在治疗和随访意见上也不尽相同。结论食管近段异位胃黏膜是先天性的黏膜病变,也是可能的食管腺癌癌前病变。虽然患者一般症状轻微,但是也可能以呕血、穿孔等较严重的临床症状为首发表现。广大临床和内镜医师有必要加强对此病的认识,进行正确的诊断和处理,避免和Barrett食管相混淆。

吸气式飞行器进气道唇口三维激波/激波干扰

对吸气式飞行器进气道唇口处三维曲面激波/弓形激波干扰流场进行数值模拟,利用典型三维气动干扰试验对采用的数值计算方法进行验证。利用拼接网格技术及逆距离加权插值方法获得入口处流场的非守恒变量,作为激波干扰研究的入口边界条件。数值模拟表明,唇口处激波干扰流动的三维效应十分显著,曲面激波与弓形激波产生斜交,尽管唇口前缘半径很小,但Edney提出的6类激波干扰类型可能沿唇口展向方向同时存在;第Ⅲ和Ⅳ类激波/激波干扰的诱导使得唇口热流分布异常严酷;激波相交处形成斜向"伤疤"状局部高热流条带,峰值热流达到参考热流的4～6倍,可能引起唇口结构的局部烧蚀或破坏。