Barrett's Esophagus of long segment (2 of 24)

Barrett's Esophagus with residual islands of squamous epithelium. Squamous islands are frequently visualized at the time of upper endoscopy in patients with Barrett's esophagus, especially those on proton pump inhibitor therapy (PPI) Barrett's esophagus is usually discovered during endoscopic examinations of middle-aged and older adults whose mean age at the time of diagnosis is approximately 55 years old. Although Barrett's esophagus can affect children, it rarely occurs before the age of five. The definition of Barrett esophagus has evolved considerably over the past 100 years. In 1906, Tileston, a pathologist, described several patients with "peptic ulcer of the esophagus" in which the epithelium around the ulcer closely resembled that normally found in the stomach. The debate for the next 4 decades centered on the anatomical origin of this mucosal anomaly. Many investigators, including Barrett in his treatise published in 1950, supported the view that this ulcerated columnar-lined organ was, in fact, the stomach tethered within the chest by a congenitally short esophagus.