esophageal dilutation effective?

Posted , 4 users are following.

i had an upper endoscopy today and doctor said everything looks normal but she said they dilated my esopahagus. have any had it done, is it effected? do you have to do it again? i been h ing chest pain, heartburn and stomach discomfort. doctor said everything looks normal. so no sure why i got a dilation, i didn't ask the doctor because i was comming off anestisia. can any one tell me how they feel after the dilutation?

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3 Replies

  • Posted

    It would be helpful to have more information. What did you see the doctor for in the first place.

    I found this online.

    "Esophageal dilation is a treatment option for patients with achalasia. During esophageal dilation (also called pneumatic dilation), an endoscopic tube is inserted through the mouth and into the esophagus. A balloon is expanded inside the esophagus to stretch muscle fibers inside the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

    Esophageal dilation is best performed by a gastroenterologist who specializes in achalasia and who has performed many esophageal dilations because there is a risk of perforating the esophagus.

    Dilation causes some scarring which may increase the difficulty of Heller myotomy if this is needed later. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) occurs after pneumatic dilatation in some patients.

    Pneumatic dilation is most effective long term in patients over the age of 40; the benefits tend to be shorter-lived in younger patients. It may need to be repeated with larger balloons for maximum effectiveness."

    • Posted

      Hello,

      I had a barium swallow done a couple of weeks ago. I have a lot of reflux and choking. She told me that the opening from my esophagus to my stomach is very small. I am having a dilation on Tuesday for a dilation .

    • Posted

      I am a little concerned, mainly because this issue of having a narrow LES is extremely rare. 99.99% of reflux is due to a loose LES. And after this procedure there is no going back. I would request a second opinion. Please let me know how you feel after the procedure.

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