Here is a quick mnemonic “ESOPHAGEAL“ to remember about Esophageal Dysphagia.
This can be valuable for patients as well as medical doctors, nurses & students doing their clinical rounds. You can also find it very useful for med exams like USMLE, NExT Medical Step 1&2, MBBS, NEET PG, INI-CET, FMGE,MCAT & NCLEX exams
Esophageal Dysphagia : How To Remember Easily ?
- E – Esophageal Dysphagia: The adult esophagus measures 18–26 cm in length and is anatomically divided into the cervical esophagus, extending from the pharyngoesophageal junction to the suprasternal notch.
- S – Solid food dysphagia: becomes common when the lumen is narrowed to <13 mm, but also can occur with larger diameters in the setting of poorly masticated food or motor dysfunction.
- O – Oropharyngeal dysphagia: Diseases affecting smooth muscle involve both the thoracic esophagus and the LES. A dominant manifestation of this, absent peristalsis, refers to either the complete absence of swallow-induced contraction (absent contractility) or the presence of nonperistaltic, disordered contractions.
- P – Propulsive disorders: leading to esophageal dysphagia result from abnormalities of peristalsis and/or deglutitive inhibition, potentially affecting the cervical or thoracic esophagus.
- H – Having dominant manifestation of this : absent peristalsis, refers to either the complete absence of swallow-induced contraction (absent contractility) or the presence of nonperistaltic, disordered contractions.
- A – Achalasia: Absent peristalsis and failure of deglutitive LES relaxation are the defining features of achalasia.
- G – Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Dysphagia also occurs in the setting of gastroesophageal reflux disease without a stricture, perhaps on the basis of altered esophageal sensation, reduced esophageal mural distensibility, or motor dysfunction.
- E – Eosinophilic esophagitis: The most common structural causes of dysphagia are Schatzki’s rings, eosinophilic esophagitis, and peptic strictures.
- A – Absent contractility: combined with severe weakness of the LES is a pattern commonly found in patients with scleroderma.
- L – (BLANK)
Mnemonic : ESOPHAGEAL
