Objective: Despite the apparent lack of clinical interest in the inlet patches of heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) in the upper esophagus, the literature contains reports of complications associated with HGM. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical importance of HGM in patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE).
Material and methods: A total of 1033 consecutive outpatients referred for UGE were prospectively evaluated. Clinical, endoscopic and histologic findings were analyzed and 24-h double-channel pH-metry was performed on 20 patients with HGM.
Results: Fifty-three patients (5.1%) had HGM lesions. Dysphagia was significantly more frequent in HGM patients (21% versus 4%; p<0.001). Five of the 20 patients who underwent pH-metry presented with acid secretion from HGMs. These five patients had inlet patches of greater size.
Conclusions: HGMs of the upper esophagus are not infrequent, although generally small and asymptomatic. In cases of large HGMs, acid secretion capacity may cause upper esophageal disorders.