I had my swallow study done today and learned something. My swallowing function seems to be working pretty well but there is a "stricture" or blockage in my esophagus that causes food to get stuck. It is below my breathing area which is why I can still breathe when food gets stuck.
Apparently now they will look down my throat with an endoscope and likely attempt to dilate the esophagus with a balloon.
Has anyone gone through a procedure like this? The speech therapist said that the area in question appeared like it had been affected by radiation, but that the stricture was down my chest below where the radiation should have reached.

Danny G.

Danny, I don't have a clue about balloon therapy, but I am so glad to hear that at least something is happening. You may be eating real food sooner than later!
Joanna

Since yesterday I have learned a lot about strictures ( blockage ) of the esophagus and the balloon dilation procedure. The dilation usually improves swallowing ability but must be repeated perioically because it tends to grow or fuse back together. There is a surgical bypass procedure but it is very serious and the doctors don't recommend doing it.
My original ENT surgeon who perfomed my biopsy also put in a trachea at the same time, fearing that the tumor did not leave me enough room to breathe. Up to that point I had no difficulty breathing. The next week I had my first appointment with my surgeon at MDAnderson and he immediately told me that I did not need the trachea and we removed it about a week later.
Today the surgeon told me that the complications in my esophagus, caused by the radiation, wouldn't have been a problem but for the trachea!!
Next week I will be meeting a gastroenteroligist who will be the one to perfome the dilation.
I sure hope that this stuff works!!

Danny G.

I just came from MD Anderson and now have my dilation procedure scheduled for this coming Friday. I am a little miffed that when I had a swallow study on December 9th, I had the identical problem then and the radiologist and technician focused only on swallowing function, and completely overlooked the esophagus. I feel like I have wasted two months without being able to eat because they did not bother to properly diagnose the problem.
Oh well, now that they have got it right, perhaps I will be able to eat real food next week. I sure hope so!

Danny G.

Danny,
We are learning that no one seems to have a complete picture or all of the answers. If we went to five doctors, we would get five answers. Don't get discouraged just keep up the good work.
Meredith

Today I had the procedure to dilate my esophagus. The doctor, a gastro-enterologist, after sedating me, used a solid dilation device rather than a balloon device. He told me that a normal esophagus has a diameter of approx. 20 milimeters. Mine started at 2 mm. and today was stretched to 12mm. I return in 3 weeks for a little more stretching. Apparently even after we get it to its largest possible size, I will still have to return periodically to repeat the procedure. The scarring in my esophagus is the result of radiation.
I am very happy that I should be able to start eating solid foods soon. It is kind of strange not to have eaten a meal for six months.
Thanks your all the support you here at OCF have shown.

Danny G.

Danny, Glad to hear you'll be eating solid foods again! That will seem strange at first - but I think you'll adapt just fine. My husband John had that done during his neck dissection yesterday - but I am not sure what kind of device/procedure the doctor used for that. He did tell me that he really didn't think my husband needed to get that done - but it should help a bit more. He was eating solids before this, although certain solids were still out of the question - such as some meats and sandwiches or anything too "dry" - but he had improved a great deal in his eating since treatment ended November 29th (2002). So anyways...I'm sure this will be a great improvement for you even if you have to go back for further treatments - I'm sure it will be worth it. Good luck and let us know how that first bite of solid food works out for you!