Peptic Esophageal Stricture Causes & Symptoms

Causes

Peptic esophageal stricture is caused by severe gastroesophageal reflux disease and continuous damage of the lining of the esophagus by the stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus, resulting in scar and narrowing of the lumen of the esophagus.

Symptoms

Patients may present with both typical (common) and atypical (uncommon) symptoms of reflux, but dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and regurgitation of food after eating are the main symptoms.

Typical (common) symptoms

• Heartburn (a burning sensation behind the breast bone)
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing or the sensation that food is hanging up or not passing down into the stomach properly)
• Regurgitation of food or liquids after eating

Atypical (uncommon) symptoms

• Chest pain
• Hoarseness
• Cough
• Pneumonia