Another problem which may develop in people with Scleroderma is aspiration pneumonia.
Aspiration simply means that food material comes up the esophagus and gets into the lungs.
The esophagus may be wider than normal in Scleroderma. The sphincter muscle at the bottom of the esophagus normally closes off the esophagus from the stomach. In Scleroderma, this sphincter does not stay closed when it should. This allows the stomach contents to come back up into the esophagus, into the mouth, and down the lungs causing aspiration pneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs results.