CASE REPORT: Esophageal Intramural Pseudodiverticulosis: A Case of a Young Woman

Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis (EIPD) is an uncommon benign abnormality, characterized by a typical radiological appearance of multiple flask-shaped outpouchings in the esophageal wall, measuring a few millimeters in length. EIPD is mainly a disease of the elderly and is more frequent in males. It presents with progressive dysphagia related to esophageal stenosis or strictures in the great majority of patients. The etiology of this rare disease is unknown. Hiatal hernias, gastroesophageal reflux, esophageal strictures, candidiasis, herpes esophagitis, diabetes mellitus, and chronic alcoholism have been found to be associated with EIPD. According to the available literature, EIPD can be missed easily because of its subtle endoscopic and radiological abnormalities, but once it is diagnosed, conservative management leads to satisfactory control of the symptoms. We encountered a young female patient with EIPD. She had a severe stricture in the upper esophagus, although she had no other complications such as candidiasis or reflux esophagitis. Here we report this rare case of a young patient with EIPD, who was treated successfully with endoscopic esophageal balloon dilation therapy, and discuss this disease on review of the relevant literature.