Mediastinal abscess, an unusual way of presentation of eosinophilic esophagitis

Abstract

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is one of the most prevalent esophageal diseases and the leading cause of dysphagia and food impaction in children and young adults. EoE represents a chronic, local immune-mediated esophageal disease, characterized clinically by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and histologically by eosinophil-predominant inflammation. Mediastinal abscess is an uncommon condition that typically appears after esophageal perforations or thoracic surgeries, usually requiring treatment for surgical intervention due to its high morbidity–mortality. Mediastinal abscess, outside these two contexts, is extremely rare. We present the case of a mediastinal abscess secondary to EoE. It is important to think about this entity when there is a mediastinal abscess without trauma or previous surgery.