• Benign oesophageal stricture: occurring in reflux and producing slowly progressive dysphagia for solids in the absence of anorexia and weight loss

• Schatzki’s ring (Fig. 224.1B): narrowing of the lower part of the oesophagus by a ring of mucosal or muscular tissue; it produces either intermittent, non-progressive dysphagia for solids or acute food impaction in the absence of anorexia or weight loss

• Carcinoma of the oesophagus (Fig. 224.1C): producing rapidly progressive dysphagia for solids in association with both anorexia and weight loss

• Peptic ulcer of the oesophagus

• Achalasia cardia

• Pharyngeal pouch

• Retrosternal goitre, bulbar palsy, myasthenia gravis, Plummer–Vinson syndrome (Paterson–Kelly syndrome).

• FBC, ESR

• Barium swallow and video fluoroscopy (Fig. 224.1)

• Gastroscopy.