Esophagus is a food pipe that carries food or liquid from mouth to stomach.
There are many Esophageal diseases requires surgery as treatment including cancer.
Commonly encountered problems:
1. Motility Disorder (including Achalasia cardia)-
treatment depends on different types.
2. Corrosive Injury -
Accidental or suicidal ingestion of acid/alkali where new food pipe is created by stomach or colon.
3. Gastro - Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)-
in long standing medically intractable cases new valve can be surgically created to prevent reflux. Results are very good provided proper case selection is done. surgery is known as a Laparoscopic fundoplication.
4. Barret Esophagus -
treatment depends varies from endoscopic to surgical.
5. Diverticulas -
these are muscular out pouching, may require surgery in some cases.
6. Paraesophageal Hernias -
very rare but often problematic, require surgical procedure usually done laparoscopically.
7. Cancer -
One of leading cause of death. With multidisciplinary approach cancer treatment is possible & effective. New food pipe is created by stomach or colon. Post operatively with minor adjustments overall quality of life remains good.
