Publications by authors named "John W Jacobs"

Purpose Of Review: Dysphagia is one of the most common reasons for patients' visits to a gastroenterologist. Esophageal lichen planus (ELP) has historically been felt to be a rare disease, when in fact it is often misdiagnosed and unrecognized. Often first diagnosed as an unusual esophagitis, all gastroenterologists will see ELP in their practice, and need to be able to recognize this condition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that often affects the skin, hair, nails, and mucus membranes. Although esophageal involvement has traditionally been felt to be rare, recent reports suggest that it is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. The diagnoses of esophageal lichen planus can be challenging and is suspected based on patients' endoscopic and histologic findings and in the context of their clinical history and physical examination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Myotomy length for per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is standardized for type I and II achalasia. However, for type III achalasia, jackhammer esophagus, diffuse esophageal spasms and esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction, there is no standard. Determining myotomy length based on the high-pressure zone found during high-resolution manometry (HRM) and spastic length found during esophagography may be used to determine adequate myotomy length without excess muscle destruction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is associated with tissue remodeling that can result in esophageal mucosal fragility, and esophageal dilation for patients with EoE is known to cause painful mucosal lacerations. Clinicians have been admonished that patients with EoE may be exceptionally predisposed to perforation with esophageal dilation, a notion supported primarily by case reports. We have conducted a systematic review of literature on esophageal dilation in EoE in an attempt to better define the risk of perforation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF