Abstract
Seventy three patients performed endoscopic esophageal biopsy were included in this retrospective study in relation to the diagnosis and symptoms suggesting an esophageal disorder. They had no previous surgery of the upper GI tract and they were not the cases of emergency or early endoscopy at the time of biopsy. Fourteen esophageal carcinomas, including six early or superficial carcinomas, were encountered in this study. Significant symptom was apparent in patients with advanced carcinoma, while it was not present in patients with early or superficial carcinoma, except a case with ulcerated one. Fifty nine patients with benign esophageal disorder, such as reflux esophagitis, polyp, erosion etc., were often asymptomatic, except cases with esophageal ulcer not associated with reflux esophagitis. Therefore, panendoscopy is thought to be an excellent method as an initial diagnostic approach to the upper GI tract, especially in detecting unexpected esophageal disorders.
