It may sound like the end result of a few extra vinos during lockdown, but a ‘corkscrew oesophagus’ is actually a rare oesophageal motility disorder.

An 83-year-old woman was diagnosed with this condition after presenting to a gastroenterology clinic in the US with dysphagia and regurgitation that occurred with every meal in association with postprandial chest pain.

The patient had experienced difficulty swallowing solids and liquids for several years, but her symptoms had worsened over the past year, during which she reported losing 9kg.

A barium swallow was performed, showing a corkscrew pattern, and an upper endoscopy revealed non-peristaltic spastic contractions and a tight gastroesophageal junction.