I am (finally) home from an esophageal dilation procedure similar to the one described above (and ENT went down from the top and a thoracic surgeon went up from th4e stomach after removing the PEG tube. I had mine done by an ENT/Thoracic surgeon team and Brigham and Women's in Boston who have done about 50 of these--most have resulted in the eprson being able to swallow well enough to get off the PEG. There is a slight (I was told 3% but it had never happened to them yet) risk that the esphagus will be perforated when this surgery is performed.

Well the Queen of Complications will now accept her crown.

Yes, I screwed up their "never happened to us" record--when I came to in the recovery room my right lung had collapsed because air from the esophagus that had been used during the surgery ahd gotten in the lung. I will not say anymore about how awful this part was but I WILL say I was truly glad there was a thoracic surgeon right there, and interns, to insert a chest tube and suck the air out.

I ended up being in the hospital for 7 days, on serious antobiotics, and a chest tube with suction on, as they waitted hoping the eprforation would show signs of healing--apparently it wasn't huge but it was definitely there--a barium swallow was done that showed fluid leaking out the esophagus so I was instructed NOT to swallow--not even my saliva--even tho9ugh, to my delight, I finally COULD.

Finally the thoracic surgeon suggested a stent be put in the esophagus so that more problems didn't happen before the performation healed. I went in for that surgery 6 days after the dilation surgery. It worked in that the stent is in, and another barium swallow indicates I'm not leaking anything now that it is in. I've been told by a speech pathologist they work with there that I can try swallowing as much thin or thick liquids as I can handle. My throat is still VERY sore, though and I'm not sure how much of the pain is from thr stent. The stent has to stay in 8 weeks, I assume to be sure the eprformation has healed, but while it's in, at least my esophagis won't close up again. After it's removed, I may face more dilations as well, but none likely to cause such bad comolications as my thraot won't be so thoroughly closed up as it had gotten gradually......

Joni, Do look for another opinion before accepting that your husband will be on a tube forever. Despite me being the Queen of Complications, I have no regrets about trying to get my swallowing ability back and still have high hopes of getting off the tube eventually.

Nelie