Esophagus Surgery
Reasons for the surgery of the esophagus include:
- Cancer of the esophagus
- Heartburn, or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Problems with digestion
- Barretts esophagus
- Narrowing of the esophagus or tightening of the muscles around the esophagus that makes it hard to swallow
- Peptic ulcer
Tests for conditions of the esophagus are:
- Upper GI (gastrointestinal) series, a group of x-rays using a barium swallow
- X-ray with barium swallow, where the patient drinks a liquid that coats the inside of the esophagus so that it shows up better on an X-ray.
- Endoscopy, where a doctor passes a thin tube with lights and a camera or other device to see the esophagus.
- Biopsy, when a doctor takes a little bit of tissue to test for cancer or other conditions. If a biopsy is needed, its done during an endoscopy.
- CT scan, or computed tomography scan, which is a type of X-ray
More About Esophageal Cancer
- Introduction
- Surgical Management