Mechanical properties of the esophagus in eosinophilic esophagitis.
Kwiatek MA, Hirano I, Kahrilas PJ et al.
Editor’s note: In this interesting study the authors used a novel endoscopic tool (EndoFLIP®), capable of measuring esophageal distensibility, in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis. Eosinophilic esophagitis is characterized by mucosal inflammation with an accumulation of eosinophils (Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 2009;29:197–211). One of the major clinical problems in this condition is dysphagia, which is related to a stiff and fibrotic esophagus that is prone to perforation during therapeutic endoscopic dilation (Gastroenterology 2007;133:1342–1363).