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Title |
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Electron Microscopic Changes In Esophageal Epithelium In Reflux Esophagitis |
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BY |
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Samia I. El-Naggar*, Suhair A. Abdel Hafeez*, Hany Abdel Karium**…..
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Department of pathology*, and surgery ** Faculty of medicine, Assiut University.
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ABSTRACT |
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Dilated intercellular spaces are a sign of epithelial damage in acid-perfused rabbit esophagus, a change best identified by transmission electron microscope. The aim of this work was to study the epithelial changes in reflux esophagitis by transmission electron microscopy, and to determine if this change is also a feature of acid damage to human esophagus. Endoscopic esophageal biopsy specimens from 25 patients with recurrent heartburn were taken. Fifteen out of 25 patients had erosive esophagitis and 10 had normal appearing mucosa on endoscopy. Ultra-thin section was stained with toluidine blue and examined with light microscopy and showed feature of epithelial injury and repair in higher percentage in erosive esophagitis. Transmission electron microscopy examination revealed dilated intercellular spaces in 92% of biopsy specimens irrespective of whether the patients had erosive or non-erosive disease. We concluded that dilated intercellular spaces are a feature of reflux damage to human esophageal epithelium. |