Gastric inlet patches: symptomatic or silent?

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Esophageal Diseases

Background:

• The gastric inlet patch is a common congenital anomaly.
• Its clinical significance, particularly in relation to laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and esophageal adenocarcinoma, is under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current literature on the clinical relevance of the gastric inlet patch.
• Focus on endoscopic diagnosis, treatment, LPR association, and proximal esophageal adenocarcinoma linkage.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of recent literature.
• Analysis of studies on endoscopic diagnostic techniques (e.g., narrow band imaging).
• Evaluation of treatment modalities (e.g., argon plasma coagulation, radiofrequency ablation) and endoscopic resection techniques.

Main Results:

• Endoscopic diagnosis of gastric inlet patch has increased significantly with improved awareness and imaging.
• Association with laryngopharyngeal symptoms remains unclear, but treatments show symptom improvement.
• A rare but notable association exists between proximal esophageal adenocarcinoma and gastric inlet patch.

Conclusions:

• Further prospective, multicenter studies are required.
• Validated questionnaires and blinded, sham-controlled trials are needed to confirm treatment efficacy.
• Current treatments are primarily available at specialized centers.