Confused about esophageal endoscopy results and CT scan follow up

09-14-2018, 08:25 AM

I wonder if anyone could offer some advice as I am getting quite worried (probably excessively) about my 21 year old son's investigations?

Since last October he's been complaining about it being difficult swallowing food and since July this year it got worse to the point where he was drinking 2-3 glasses of water with his food to be able to swallow the food. After going to his dr a few times, he yesterday went for an endoscopy.

The endoscopist said everything looked normal apart from some inflammation of the oesophagus about 30cm in (his notes on the patient copy of the report says 'At approximately 30cm into the osephagus I noted resistance. The area was narrower and inflammed. Unable to traverse as patient found it uncomfortable. Biopsies taken and procedure terminated').

He said the inflammation was most likely from stomach acid coming back up and prescribed my son omeprazole for 8 weeks and then for him to have the endoscopy repeated.

The endoscopist doctor has rung today to say that he showed my sons results to another specialist in endoscopy at the hospital who has suggested a CT scan which my son has to go for.

Is this just the hospital being thorough with the CT scan as the endoscopy was terminated at 30cm or is the CT scan because they suspect something else? The 1st doctor who did the endoscopy said on the phone to my son that it sounded like overkill.

Thank you,

gsb

09-14-2018, 03:12 PM

Dear gsb62,

Please don't dwell on the unknown. Doing the other procedure may very well be overkill. Many doctors (not all of course) are not out to save us money (or worry). So far nothing you shared indicates this is worth your suffering and headaches.

Inflammation of the esophagus can be from many things, esp what any person may be eating, drinking or smoking. Does he chew his food well or gulp it down? Have you asked him if he gets heartburn?

I would have tried the treatment first.

09-14-2018, 06:48 PM

At his age you don't need to worry about esophageal cancer. Endoscopies are very uncomfortable without sedation, so it's normal that they would want to do more testing since they couldn't see everything they wanted.

Does your son have any food allergies? Stomach acid can cause narrowing of the esophagus but so can some allergy related conditions.

09-15-2018, 12:03 AM

Hi YaYaGirl and hbguy1,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes he has been getting heartburn which he says has got worse over the last year and also has a range of food allergies (nuts, beans and some fruits). He's noticed a difference with his heartburn with the omeprazole since starting on it last Wednesday evening.

Best wishes,

gsb.

09-15-2018, 04:31 PM

The CT scan is to make sure that there is nothing blocking the esophogus below the area that the doctor was able to get to...its them being overly cautious, but why not? You would want to know what the doctor COULDN'T see as well as what he can...

The PPI he has him on should really help; however, it is important to get this cleared up because constant heartburn and reflux in this area can lead to Barrett's Esophogus, which left untreated, can turn into esophageal cancer.

Confused about esophageal endoscopy results and CT scan follow up

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