CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL
Dysphagia for solids that get stuck refers to difficulty in swallowing solid foods that tend to become trapped in the oesophagus. This condition may indicate an underlying pathology affecting oesophageal motility or the structure of the oesophagus.
Dysphagia can be progressive and, in some cases, may be accompanied by pain when swallowing (odynophagia). Identifying the cause of dysphagia is essential to provide appropriate treatment and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Pathology | Symptoms and Clinical Signs | Suspected Diagnosis | Confirmatory Diagnosis |
Oesophageal disorders | Dysphagia for solids, sensation of a foreign body in the oesophagus, regurgitation, chest pain | Medical history, physical examination, history of oesophageal disease | Oesophageal endoscopy, oesophagogram, oesophageal manometry |
Oesophageal carcinoma | Progressive dysphagia for solids, weight loss, chest pain, odynophagia, regurgitation | Medical history, physical examination | Endoscopy with biopsy, chest and abdominal CT scan |
Carcinoma of the cardia | Dysphagia for solids, weight loss, epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, early satiety | Medical history, physical examination | Endoscopy with biopsy, abdominal CT scan, abdominal MRI |
External oesophageal compression | Dysphagia for solids, compression symptoms (cough, dyspnoea), chest pain | Medical history, physical examination, compression symptoms | Chest CT scan, chest MRI, endoscopic ultrasound |
Other causes | Symptoms vary according to underlying pathology, dysphagia, chest pain | Medical history, physical examination | Specific tests based on clinical suspicion |
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