Esophageal disease and loss to follow-up are common among patients who experience non-endoscopic resolution of food impaction.

This article focuses on the outcomes and follow-up patterns of patients experiencing esophageal food impaction (EFI) who achieve non-endoscopic resolution (NER) of their condition. A retrospective study of 593 patients at a tertiary care center found that about 25% had NER, yet these patients had significantly lower rates of recommended and actual follow-up compared to those requiring endoscopic intervention. Among patients with NER and no prior esophageal disease, 92.5% were diagnosed with significant esophageal pathology, including strictures, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and esophagitis, highlighting that NER does not indicate less severe disease. The study identifies physician recommendation for follow-up and history of esophageal disease as key predictors of appropriate follow-up and emphasizes the need for standardized protocols to improve post-ERI care and reduce recurrence risk.