My spouse had a stricture of the esophagus which was detected by a barium swallowing test several months ago. She had 35 radiation treatments to neck and face plus 4 concurrent cisplatin doses.

Because of this stricture she could not eat or drink and she had a G-tube.

The Dr recommended dilation of the esophagus. So far she has had six dilations averaging one every three weeks or so.

The ENT says that it will take several due to the scar tissue in the esophagus as a result of the radiation treatments. So far the dilations however have not been much of an improvent. She can drink water and eat shakes barely and not much else.

I would like to hear from other members of the forum as to their experience with dilations of the esophagus. How many times it was done, side-effects, and their overall experince with being able to eat solid foods followng the dilations.

Is it worth it to continue, will there be an marked improvement with time, are we expecting too much?

Vin

hi Vin,

>I would like to hear from other members of the forum as to their experience with dilations of the esophagus. How many times it was done, side-effects, and their overall experince with being able to eat solid foods followng the dilations.


i've had
2 stretches, at 1 yr from treatment.
1 stretch,two years later.

i have moderate throat pain for about 2 wks after each proceedure. the inpromvement in swallowing is great and i eat much better. the dilations get me to about 45 mm. 50 mm is considered average.

the doc told me that the success and how long it lasts is a function of where the scar tissue is. sometimes its on the inside and other times its on the outside of the esophagus. i have scarring where the dilation results are more long lasting.

hopefully your spouse will get some better results that what has been obtained to so far.

cu,
larryb

vin- my husband has a 4" stricture at the top of his esopaghaus- Please go to after treatment- need some help post- it address's this


Foot changed to inch by brh

Vin,
Once I could swallow again things were getting stuck farther down and in a barium swallow study MDACC finally figured out that it was a stricture in my espophagus. I went in for dilations approximately 3 times and it was never a problem. They would wheel me in, put me under and I would wake up a little groggy but feeling fine.
The procedure worked perfectly for me. I was scheduled for another dilation but a smart Dr. suggested another swallow study instead and it showed that the blockage in the espophagus was gone.
Although I am aware that these strictures can re-occur, I have had no problem whatsoever since my last dilation which was probably three years ago.

Best of luck with your wife,
Danny G.

Hi Larryb,

Thank you for your reply. I am happy to hear about your positive experience with your dilations and the great improvement in swallowing.

Our doctor is so extremely busy that he never spends much time with us explaining anything. I did not know that the results are dependent upon where the scar tissue is. I will make sure to ask him. In our case the effect of the dilations have lasted for a few days. But after the second one the effect did last for a couple of weeks. Then the esophagus closes again.

The problem is that after the procedure she gets violently sick with nausea and vomiting and we have to go back to the CCC to get IVs for hydration and anti-nausea medication for two to three days. Her throat is sore and it takes her a least a week to recover.

I am wondering if we started the dilations too early. She had her first about six months after end of treatments.

Vin

Update on esophageal stricture .
After 2 failed endoscopies and a failed largnealscopy(sp) my husband had a successful Esophagogastroduodenoscopy done at Memorial Sloan Kettering by Dr Moshe Shike last Thursday. He is a gastro.(Sp) Doctor and he went in with a guide wire from his peg tube through the bottom of his esopaghus while an ENT ,Dr. Patel went in with a light through his mouth to guide Dr Shike.They have created an opening and my husband was able to swallow small sips of water in the recovery room. He is being dialated there again this Friday. They do not want the opening to reclose. They are estimating that he will need 2 more dialations after this Friday and then as needed.
It is painfull for my husband to swallow though he managed a 20 ' bottle of water in the last day. His swallowing muscles have atrop hied and his throat is still raw. Dr Shike says this too will passs. No quarantees that he will be ever able to eat steak or bread but this surgery will do a lot.
**** Joni- I can't figure out how to reply to you so I hope you are reading this. Dr Shike operates on many esophageal strictures and said that they are successful 90% of the time. We still have a long way to go and we know we are in the new normal- but at least there is cause to hope!
My husband was dx 11/9/05. T2N2M0 rt tonsil and lymgh node involvement on both sides/ 9 chemos and 7 weeks 5x aweek IMRT/ finsihed treatment 3/9/06 c

Joni-

hey Jordan,

it seems that you have some very sharp docs working on your husband. i'm impressed! hopefully this will be a quick road to eating and drinking. my esoghas was initially about the size of a paper clip wire and it all worked out for me... so i have great hopes for your husband. i think he will be eating and drinking everything in sight in the not to distant future. for awhile, it was dangerous to get between me and food.

let us know how it goes.

cu,
larryb

Vin:
I had a stricture as well and couldn't swallow anything. I had my esophagus dilitated 9 times. I also had hyperberic oxygen treatments. The doc recommended this as a way to help heal the stricture. I had a total of 29 treatments 6 days a week. After the stricture was healed, I had my esophagus diliated a couple more times. I recently had it done again, 13 months later. I think I'll have to have this done annually for the rest of my life. I can swallow, but I need lots of water to wash things done, so I get most of my nutrition by liquid. But no peg tube! I also had to do and still do exercises for my throat muscels called the shaker exercise. Without that I don't think I would have been able to swallow.
Best of Luck.
Jeff

Hi, I'm new to the board and writing on behalf of my dear friend, Kevin. He had a bilateral neck dissection last November and unfortunately had to have a total laryngectomy as the tumor (SCC, stage IV) was in the voice box. Also some lymph nodes were taken. Had two chemo sessions and 33 radiation treatments ending in February, which has caused him to be unable to swallow since January of this year.

Scar tissue damage from radiation has forced his esophagus closed so he had a 4th dilation attempt yesterday morning. There was a gastro doc working through his peg feeding tube and the head/neck oncology surgeon worked on the throat area. It took 2 1/2 hours and they inserted a coated wire starting at his stomach up through his mouth and the wire is taped to the outside of his cheek. He is feeling some pain today and is uncomfortable, but has been up moving around a little and getting some feed tube feedings going.

Has anyone else had a wire inserted to keep the esophagus open? He has a follow up appointment next Monday at the GI clinic and they said they'll only need to sedate him and dilate, so it shouldn't be as intense as yesterday. Doctor advised that he try getting some water down today, so hoping for that.

Thanks for any information. I read posts here to give him some encouragement as it's been a really tough road for him so far.

Nancy

My husband also has a stricture in his esophagus that won't allow him to eat or drink. We went for a dilation on Thursday and the ENT said the stricture was too large and the attempt to dilate failed. He told us the prognosis is not good and that my husband will probably be on the g-tube for life. We are not willing to accept his prognosis. Jordan12 I am so happy your husband is doing well after his procdure. Please keep me informed about your husband's progress. Has anyone else had the esophagogastroduodenoscopy done? I am from central Illinois but will travel if necessary if we can't find someone closer to try the procedure.