4 Cases of Steakhouse Syndrome of the Esophagus

Choi, Jai Dong; Moon, Jong Ho; Lee, Moon Sung; Kim, Jin Hong; Cho, Sung Won; Shim, Chan Sup

Abstract

Acute food impaction of the esophagus is not an unusual problem on an emergency ward. It has been termed the Steakhouse syndrome or the Backyard barbecue syndrome, indicating that meet is the obstrueting bolus in the majority of cases. Most esophageal stenoaes are located distally, and this ie also the area where most food impations occur. The obstruction quickly becomes apparent to the patient when further swallowing of food or liquid is impossible. Various obstructive lesions or motility disorders of the esophagus have been implicated as etiological factors in acute food impaction. Common,disorders include reflux esophagitis with stricture, hiatal hernia, abnormal rings and postoperative strictures at anastomotic sites. Malignant stenoses have been very rarely described. Recently we experienced of 4 patients who suffered from acute dysphagia after they had ingestion of food such as beef, pork, chicken, and dog meat, repectively. All of them were diagnased as steakhouse syndrome due to acute food impaction of the esophageal after examinations of esophagogram and endoscopy. They had hiatal hernia, esophageal cancer, reflux esophagitis with stricture, and abnormal ring as underlying diseases, repectively. All of them were treated with endoseopic removal of foreign body by a Dormia basket.