A CASE OF ESOPHAGEAL TUBERCULOSIS OF WHICH MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGE COULD BE ENDOSCOPICALLY OBSERVED AT REGULAR INTERVALS

Abstract

A 60-year-old man was referred to our hospital for examination of an esophageal submucosal tumor-like protrusion detected by endoscopy that caused discomfort upon swallowing. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed that the lesion was derived from the submucosal layer. During careful endoscopic follow-up, morphological changes were observed at each of the 5 endoscopic examinations that were performed within 6 months. Repeated endoscopic observation at regular intervals, including a pathological evaluation as well as imaging examinations, led to the final diagnosis of esophageal tuberculosis without any other lesions. Combination therapy for 6 months using pyrazinamide, isoniazid, ethambutol and rifampicin was administered, resulting in the complete disappearance of the lesion. Although esophageal tuberculosis is a relatively rare disease, it should be taken into account as one of the differential diagnoses in cases of esophageal submucosal tumor-like lesions manifesting morphological changes within a short period.