ESOPHAGEAL WEBS AND RINGS

Course overview

ESOPHAGEAL WEBS AND RINGS ARE USUALLY ASYMPTOMATIC BUT CAN OCCASIONALLY PRESENT WITH INTERMITTENT DYSPHAGIA TO SOLIDS. SOME PATIENTS MAY DEVELOP FOOD IMPACTION AND WILL PRESENT WITH ACUTE DYSPHAGIA AND INABILITY TO SWALLOW SALIVA. A BARIUM SWALLOW IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN DELINEATING THE CAUSE OF THE ESOPHAGEAL LUMEN OBSTRUCTION. IT CAN IDENTIFY ESOPHAGEAL WEBS, RINGS, STRICTURES, TUMORS, AND EXTRAESOPHAGEAL COMPRESSION. AN ESOPHAGOGASTRODUODENOSCOPY (EGD) IS USUALLY NECESSARY FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE DIAGNOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN ESOPHAGEAL WEBS AND RINGS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR THEM, AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION OR CLOSELY ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS.