Esophagus is a muscular tube that carries the food from the mouth into the stomach. Esophageal stricture is a medical condition in which the lumen of the esophagus becomes narrow or tighten. It can lead to symptoms like difficulty in swallowing or sensation of fullness in the chest. The strictures can be caused by both noncancerous(benign) as well as cancerous conditions. About 70-80% of all the cases are associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and are benign.
There are about 11,000 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed every year.
There can be several processes by which it leads to the formation of strictures like
These processes are associated with the following conditions
These symptoms arise due to obstruction in the food pathway as well as the underlying condition
Your doctor will use your medical history and perform some tests to establish a diagnosis
Medical history: Your doctor will ask you to complete details about your
Blood tests: a sample of blood is taken to look for the following studies
Imaging Studies:
Your physician can order other tests also, depending upon the findings of the medical history and the above tests.
The treatment consists of managing the underlying cause and reducing the symptoms
Esophageal dilation: It is a preferred option in most of cases. An endoscope is inserted into the mouth up to the place of stricture and it contains an inflatable balloon at the tip. Once it inflates it will expand the narrowed area in the esophagus.
Stent replacement: A stent is a thin hollow tube made from plastic or metal or flexible mesh material. These are placed in the constructed part and keep the lumen patent.
Medications: The proton pump inhibitor can be used to block the secretion of acid which decreases the effect of acid on stricture formation. It promotes healing of the stricture.
Surgery: surgical procedure may be required if the esophageal dilation and medication are not helping you.
Lifestyle changes:
About 85% of cases get effective relief of dysphagia after having esophageal dilation but still, 30% of patients may require repeat dilation in the next year. The mortality rate in patients having the stricture related t
o the malignancy is higher than those caused by GERD
American Gastroenterological Association
This post was last modified on July 24, 2023 2:28 pm
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