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Dysphagia lusorium in elderly: a case report.
Bulent Kantarceken1, Ertan Bulbuloglu, Murvet Yuksel
1Division of Gastroenterology, Medical Facullty, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. bkantarceken@inonu.edu.tr
World Journal of Gastroenterology
|July 31, 2004
Summary
Dysphagia in the elderly can stem from rare right subclavian artery abnormalities. Multislice computed tomography is useful for diagnosing vascular causes of swallowing difficulties when other methods fail.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Radiology
Background:
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) in older adults often results from common causes like malignancy, strictures, or motility disorders.
- Rarely, vascular abnormalities can lead to dysphagia, presenting a diagnostic challenge.
Observation:
- A 68-year-old female presented with persistent dysphagia.
- Initial endoscopic and routine examinations were inconclusive in determining the cause.
Findings:
- Multislice computed tomography revealed an aberrant right subclavian artery compressing the esophagus.
- This vascular anomaly was identified as the cause of the patient's dysphagia.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare vascular causes of dysphagia in the elderly.
- Multislice computed tomography is a valuable imaging modality for diagnosing esophageal compression by vascular abnormalities.