Gastric Heterotopia of the Proximal Esophagus: A Report of Four Cases Detected by Endoscopy and Review of Literature

Heterotopic gastric mucosa involving the upper esophagus (HGME) occurs as single or multiple islands of gastric mucosa completely surrounded by squamous epithelium. Since Schmidt's first description of this lesion in 1805, many cases have been documented in autopsy studies. In recent years, HGME has been interesting because of the potential for endoscopic diagnosis and the recognition that HGME may be symptomatic. The high incidence of HGME in autopsy studies contrasts sharply with the small number of reports describing endoscopic detection of HGME. The authors report four cases and review the pertinent literature to assess the morphological spectrum, endoscopic appearance, and clinical correlates of this entity.