RARE LOCALIZATIONS OI CROHNS-DISEASE - RE PORT OF 2 CASES EACH WITH ESOPHAGEAL AND GASTRIC INVOLVEMENT

Two cases of proximal Crohn's disease are reported. One patient was a 30 year old male with a history of surgery for ileal Crohn's disease w ho developed gastric lesions typical of the disease. The other was a 4 1 year old female with esophageal Crohn's disease responsible for a de cline in general health, dysphagia, and protracted fever. Typical gran ulomas were found only in the first patient. In the second patient, co lonoscopy disclosed concomitant colonic involvement, and the extent of lesions together with the presence of linear ulcerations led to the d iagnosis of Crohn's disease despite the absence of visible granulomas. A therapeutic test with corticosteroids produced a therapeutic respon se, confirming the diagnosis. Proximal Crohn's disease is uncommon. Fi ve per cent of patients have gastric disease, whereas esophageal lesio ns occur in only 1 % (approximately 30 reported cases).