Unmasking a Rare Triad of Iron Deficiency Anemia, Esophageal Web, and Dysphagia in Plummer-Vinson Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
- 1Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vinayaka Mission's Sankarachariyar Dental College, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Deemed to be University), Salem, IND.
Abstract
Plummer-Vinson syndrome (PVS), also known as Paterson-Kelly syndrome or sideropenic dysphagia, is a rare disorder characterized by the triad of iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia, and esophageal webs. It predominantly affects middle-aged women and sometimes carries a risk of malignant transformation to esophageal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma, which makes early recognition clinically significant. This case report describes a 37-year-old woman who presented with a four-month history of a burning sensation and dysphagia to solid foods. Her physical examination revealed pale palpebral conjunctiva, and intraoral examination showed pale, pigmented buccal mucosa bilaterally, along with dental caries and multiple missing maxillary posterior teeth. Hematological investigations revealed severe microcytic hypochromic anemia with low serum ferritin, consistent with iron deficiency, and a barium swallow study demonstrated an esophageal stricture, confirming the diagnosis of PVS. The patient was advised to undergo prosthetic rehabilitation of her missing teeth to support adequate mastication and nutrient absorption, and was referred to a gastroenterologist for further management of the esophageal stricture and to a general physician for correction of iron deficiency anemia. This report highlights the clinical presentation, oral and hematological findings, diagnostic workup, and multidisciplinary management of PVS, and underscores the value of prompt barium swallow evaluation and gastroenterology referral in patients with iron deficiency anemia and dysphagia, given the syndrome's potential for malignant transformation.
Related
- Refractory Dysphagia and Severe Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Woman With Plummer-Vinson Syndrome
- Challenges in the diagnosis and management of coexisting drop-head syndrome and dysphagia: a case report and review of the literature.
- Accelerating tracheostomy decannulation with intermittent oro-esophageal feeding in neurogenic dysphagia: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
- Unmasking Brugada Syndrome With Oral Propafenone in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Case Report
- Diagnostic and Therapeutic Insights From a Case Series of Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome With a Complete Clinical Triad: Unmasking the Overlooked Syndrome.
BibTeX
@article{reddy2026unmasking,
title = {{Unmasking a Rare Triad of Iron Deficiency Anemia, Esophageal Web, and Dysphagia in Plummer-Vinson Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.}},
author = {Ramachandra Reddy and Karthik Rajaram Mohan and Saramma Mathew Fenn and Reethikarathan Rathanswamy Thiruneervannan and Kumar Appusamy},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.116887},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928953},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Unmasking a Rare Triad of Iron Deficiency Anemia, Esophageal Web, and Dysphagia in Plummer-Vinson Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AU - Ramachandra Reddy
AU - Karthik Rajaram Mohan
AU - Saramma Mathew Fenn
AU - Reethikarathan Rathanswamy Thiruneervannan
AU - Kumar Appusamy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.116887
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928953
AB - Plummer-Vinson syndrome (PVS), also known as Paterson-Kelly syndrome or sideropenic dysphagia, is a rare disorder characterized by the triad of iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia, and esophageal webs. It predominantly affects middle-aged women and sometimes carries a risk of malignant transformation to esophageal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma, which makes early recognition clinically significant. This case report describes a 37-year-old woman who presented with a four-month history of a burning sensation and dysphagia to solid foods. Her physical examination revealed pale palpebral conjunctiva, and intraoral examination showed pale, pigmented buccal mucosa bilaterally, along with dental caries and multiple missing maxillary posterior teeth. Hematological investigations revealed severe microcytic hypochromic anemia with low serum ferritin, consistent with iron deficiency, and a barium swallow study demonstrated an esophageal stricture, confirming the diagnosis of PVS. The patient was advised to undergo prosthetic rehabilitation of her missing teeth to support adequate mastication and nutrient absorption, and was referred to a gastroenterologist for further management of the esophageal stricture and to a general physician for correction of iron deficiency anemia. This report highlights the clinical presentation, oral and hematological findings, diagnostic workup, and multidisciplinary management of PVS, and underscores the value of prompt barium swallow evaluation and gastroenterology referral in patients with iron deficiency anemia and dysphagia, given the syndrome's potential for malignant transformation.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -