[Gastric mucosa islands in the cervical esophagus. Their potential pathogenetic significance]

Islands of gastric mucosa were sought in non-selected in- and out-patients undergoing endoscopy. Mucosal islands were found in 40 patients (out of approximately 1000 oesopho-gastroduodenoscopies), mostly a few centimetres below the mouth of the oesophagus. Histology showed "pure" corpus mucosa in 24 cases, a combination of fundus glands (with zymogenic and parietal cells) and mucoid glands were shown in 9 cases; the rest had only mucoid glands (3 cases) or surface elements of gastric mucosa (two cases). In two cases the islands were missed in the biopsy. In one case the demonstration of HCl secretion from a corpus mucosal island could be achieved by local application of congo red via endoscope after stimulation with pentagastrin. The pathogenetic significance of HCl-producing gastric mucosal islands in the cervical oesophagus is due to their ability to induce peptic lesions with subsequent web or membrane formation.