Pemphigus Vulgaris of the Esophagus

Excerpt

Because skin and esophagus have in common a lining of stratified squamous epithelium, it is not surprising that certain diseases affecting this epithelium can involve both organs. Thus vesiculobullous diseases such as epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica, cicatricial pemphigoid, bullous pemphigoid, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and herpesvirus infections affect both skin and esophagus (1). In contrast, pemphigus vulgaris is almost always confined to skin and mucous membranes (2). We describe a patient with pemphigus vulgaris in whom relapse was manifested by acute esophageal involvement in the absence of the characteristic skin or mucous membrane lesions. The endoscopic and histologic characteristics of the esophageal