Facts about medicine: Barrett's esophagus

The achievements of modern medicine allow early detection of various diseases. Barrett's esophagus is an organ pathology in which its internal surface, damaged by hydrochloric acid, becomes similar to the internal surface of the stomach itself.

Barrett's esophagus: the causes

During food, food is pushed from the mouth to the stomach along the esophagus. As soon as the food is in the stomach, special ring muscles keep from returning back to the upper gastrointestinal tract.

If these muscles do not compress tightly, hydrochloric acid escapes into the swallowing tube. This process is called gastroesophageal reflux, it becomes the cause of heartburn. It also provokes damage to the inner surface of the food tube, which changes its appearance, becoming similar to the surface of the stomach (Barrett's esophagus).

This disease affects men more than women. Barrett's esophagus has a better chance of occurrence, if a person suffers from digestive system diseases for a long time.

In patients affected by this disease, the chance of dysplasia of the esophagus increases. In this case, the risk of cancer of the esophageal tube increases several times.

Barrett's Esophagus: symptoms

In itself, this state of the surface of the swallowing tube does not cause any complaints. If a patient develops Barrett's esophagus, the symptoms of the disease can be limited only to heartburn, which is a consequence of the reflux of hydrochloric acid.

Barrett's esophagus: identification of the disease

If the symptoms of any gastroesophageal diseases you carry are hard and they return even after treatment, the doctor can prescribe an endoscopy for you:

• A long thin tube with a chamber at the end is inserted into the mouth, then pushed through the entire esophagus and enters the stomach;
• During the endoscopy, the doctor can perform a biopsy of various parts of the esophagus. It helps to identify the presence of this disease, as well as some complications that can lead to food cancers cancer.

Barrett's esophagus: treatment

Unfortunately, for the time being medicine does not allow highly effective fight against this ailment. The usual treatment is to alleviate the symptoms of gastroesophageal diseases, which can lead to a condition such as Barrett's esophagus. Treatment usually involves changing lifestyle and taking certain medications:

• Antacids after eating and before bedtime;
• Histamine H2 receptor blockers;
• Proton pump inhibitors.

Lifestyle changes, medications, antireflux surgery can help in eliminating the symptoms of gastroesophageal diseases, but can not affect the elimination of Barrett's esophagus.

Surgery and other procedures can be prescribed if biopsy analyzes indicate that the esophageal cells have changed (undergone dysplasia).

The following procedures allow you to remove damaged cells and esophagus tissue:

• Photodynamic procedure using a laser and local anesthesia;
• Other procedures using other types of energy (ultrasound, electricity, etc.), designed to eliminate cancer cells;
• Surgery helps to repair damaged tissue.

If you notice that your heartburn continues abnormally for a long time, swallowing brings pain and it is difficult to either diagnose "Barrett's esophagus" and the symptoms worsen, then it's better to go to doctors at once.