Etymed
sclerosis
Definition
Abnormal hardening or scarring of tissue
Clinical context
A 65-year-old man presents with progressive difficulty swallowing and weight loss. On examination, he has esophageal strictures and fibrotic changes on imaging. A biopsy reveals extensive scarring and fibrosis of the esophageal wall. The patient's condition represents chronic inflammatory disease leading to abnormal tissue hardening. Which pathological process best describes the findings in this patient's esophagus?
Mnemonic
Sclerosis = Scars cause hardening - S-C-A-R-S hard