Esophageal stricture (patient information)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mahda Alihashemi M.D. [2]
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Esophageal stricture |
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Esophageal stricture On the Web |
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Overview
- Esophageal stricture is a narrowing of the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach). It causes swallowing difficulties, weight loss, regurgitation of food.
What are the Symptoms of Esophageal Stricture?
- Trouble swallowing
- Pain with swallowing
- Unintentional weight loss
- Regurgitation of food
What Causes Esophageal Stricture?
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD).
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
- Injuries caused by an endoscope
- Long-term use of a nasogastric (NG) tube (tube through the nose into the stomach).
- Swallowing substances that harm the lining of the esophagus. These may include household cleaners, lye, disc batteries, or battery acid.
- Treatment of esophageal varices
- Frequent acid reflux make it more likely that you will develop esophageal stricture
Diagnosis
- Barium swallow to look for narrowing of the esophagus
- Endoscopy to look for narrowing of the esophagus
When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?
Call your health care provider if you have swallowing problems that do not go away.
Treatment Options
Dilation (stretching) of the esophagus is the main treatment for acid reflux related strictures. You may need to have this treatment repeated after a period of time to prevent the stricture from narrowing again.
Proton pump inhibitors (acid-blocking medicines) can keep a peptic stricture from returning. Surgery is rarely needed.
If you have eosinophilic esophagitis, you may need to take medicines or make changes to your diet to reduce the inflammation. In some cases, dilation is done.
Where to find Medical Care for esophageal stricture?
Medical care for esophageal stricture can be found here.
Prevention
Use safety measures to avoid swallowing substances that can harm your esophagus. Keep dangerous chemicals out of the reach of children. See your provider if you have GERD.
What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
The stricture may come back in the future. This would require a repeat dilation.
Possible Complications
Swallowing problems may keep you from getting enough fluids and nutrients. Solid food, especially meat, can get stuck above the stricture. If this happens, endoscopy would be needed to remove the lodged food.
There is also a higher risk of having food, fluid, or vomit enter the lungs with regurgitation. This can cause choking or aspiration pneumonia.
Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/.htm