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Esophageal vesicles: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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Pemphigus of the esophagus is one of the varieties of bullous diseases of the mucous membrane and skin, which is the most severe disease of all known malignant dermatoses.
The cause of the disease remains essentially unknown; none of the existing theories has been fully proven.
Pathological anatomy. Localization of pathomorphological manifestations of this disease in the esophagus is quite rare and, as a rule, their source is lesions of the oral cavity and pharynx. As the disease progresses, the affected areas can spread to the nasal cavity, lips, conjunctiva of the eyes, and in the most severe course of the disease - to the esophagus. Pemphigus of the esophagus is always combined with skin lesions.
Skin manifestations of pemphigus go through two phases: the first is manifested by rashes of blisters, which quickly fester and turn into pustules; the second phase is characterized by ulceration of the pustules, with the ulcers becoming covered with brown crusts. The phase of formation of blisters on the mucous membrane occurs more quickly, and ulcers covered with pseudomembranous plaque form in place of the blisters. These lesions are localized mainly in the initial sections of the esophagus, in continuation of the lesions of the pharynx.
Symptoms and clinical course of esophageal pemphigus. Local symptoms of esophageal pemphigus include swallowing disorders, discomfort in the esophagus, sometimes mild pain and burning in the upper esophagus, difficulty in passing food through the esophagus. General symptoms of esophageal pemphigus usually dominate: depression or mental agitation, loss of appetite, rapid weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, severe weakness. The disease progresses very quickly and ends in death within 3-18 months.
Diagnosis of esophageal pemphigus is not difficult, since this disease occurs in people suffering from the cutaneous form of pemphigus, the diagnosis of which has already been established by a dermatologist.
Treatment of esophageal pemphigus is non-specific and is carried out in a dermatological hospital. The following agents are used (Prospidia chloride), glucocorticoids (Betamethasone, Beloderm, Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone, Methylprednisolone, etc.). General and local antibiotic therapy is also carried out.
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