This report covers a few points of the statistical studies of 118 cases (70male and 48 female cases) of esophagoscopical examinations carried out in the authors' clinic in six years and a half starting from 1948.
1) In 48 cases of esophagitis (27 male and 21 female cases), 30 were trauma caused by foreign bodies, 8 cases acute symptoms caused by drugs, hot water, etc. and 10 chronic esophagitis.
2) The foreign bodies in the esophagus in 40 cases (27 male and 19 female cases) included fish bones in 14 cases, coins in 12, false teeth in 2, etc. Studies were made as to their kinds, their relation to the age, their localities, the time while they were retained in the esophagus, therapeutic measures, their fate after falling into the stomach,periesophageal abscess, etc.
3) In 21 cases of cancer of the esophagus (17 male and 4 female cases), the cancer was found in the upper part of the esophagus in 9 cases, in the middle part in 10, and in the lower part in 2. The classifications of these by their esophagoscopical and histological findings, the affected parts of the esophageal wall, and the therapeutic measures taken are related.
4) 9 cases of esophagostenosis (5 male and 4 female cases) consisted of 8 cases of cicatrical stenosis and 1 case of spastic stenosis. Their symptoms, duration, esophagoscopical findings, treatment, etc. are covered. As regards the calendar years these cases were examined in, 11 cases were examined in 1948, 8 cases in 1949, 10 cases in 1950, 18 cases in 1951, 30 cases in 1952, 31 cases in 1953 and 10 cases in 1954 (April thru August). There has been noticed the upward tendency in the number of esophagoscopical examinations carried out in the authors' clinic.
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