Esophageal emergencies.

Abstract

Esophageal disorders are commonly seen in the emergency department. Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) should always be taken seriously and should never be considered a functional complaint, whereas odynophagia (painful swallowing) is usually caused by an inflammatory process. This article addresses dysphagia/odynophagia, as well as esophagitis, neoplasms, gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal trauma, and the often difficult differentiation of chest pain of esophageal origin.