Assessment, treatment, and prevention of complications in eosinophilic esophagitis.

Abstract

There are multiple potential complications of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). These range from symptom-specific to disease-progression related, which result in fibrostenosis. Clinical manifestations of strictures and narrowing are further complicated by esophageal food impaction (EFI) and esophageal perforation, which can be spontaneous or iatrogenic. This life-threatening complication of EoE is rare and risk can be minimized with careful endoscopic technique during procedures to remove food impactions and during esophageal dilation. Complications of progression can be mitigated with effective EoE treatment and structured patient follow-up and monitoring. This paper reviews this spectrum of EoE complications and discusses assessment, management and prevention.