INTRAMURAL PSEUDODIVERTICULOSIS OF THE ES OPHAGUS - DIAGNOSIS ON 2ND LOOK IN 2 CASES

History: Case 1. A 56-year-old man had experienced increasing dysphagi a for 6 months, accompanied by a weight loss of 20 kg. A stenosing oes ophageal carcinoma was suspected. Case 2. A 82-year-old man had been s uffering intermittently from nausea for some years but had maintained his weight (80 kg; height 173 cm). Endoscopy 4 months before this admi ssion had revealed a duodenal ulcer; its treatment briefly improved th e symptoms. Investigations, diagnosis and treatment: Endoscopy in case 1 detected a severe oesophageal stenosis which could not be passed, a nd its cause could not be ascertained despite biopsy, barium swallow a nd computed tomography. after bougie dilatation an endoscope was final ly passed and the typical picture of oesophageal pseudodiverticulosis (OPD) seen. In case 2, endoscopy at first Indicated only marked Candid a oesophagitis. But after antimycotic treatment a second endoscopy rev ealed OPD. No treatment is known nor necessary since OPD causes no cli nical symptoms unless there are complications. Conclusions: OPD, a rar e condition, presents in various ways, both in its symptoms and at end oscopy. in case of oesophageal stenosis of unknown cause or Candida oe sophagitis repeat endoscopy my be necessary to establish the true diag nosis: OPD should be included in the differential diagnosis.