Barrett's Esophagus

The dark side of acid reflux is not only its ability to erode the lining of the esophagus but also to cause, over time, precancerous changes in the cells that line the esophagus.  This condition has been given a specific name:  Barrett’s esophagus.  (For further information about Barrett’s esophagus, click on this link:  Acid Reflux Terms and Acronyms).

When the esophagus is accosted with acid reflux time and again, changes to this tubular muscle start to occur from the inner layer to the outer layer.  Abnormal glandular cells eventually replace the typical squamous cells that usually line the esophagus. These glandular cells, which look like the cells that line the stomach, are more resistant to stomach acid. When these glandular cells are noted in a person’s esophagus, the patient has Barrett’s esophagus.  Those with Barrett’s esophagus are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer of the esophagus (estimated at 30-100 times normal), and therefore need to be monitored at regular intervals by their doctor.

There is a new treatment which is great news for those suffering from Barrett’s esophagus:  It is called Barrx and is minimally invasive.  After a patient has been sedated, a long flexible endoscopic tube with a camera at the end of it is inserted via the mouth and travels down the esophagus.  There is also a balloon with heat coils attached near the end of the Barrx endoscope.  When the surgeon identifies a section of diseased tissue, he merely inflates the balloon and triggers the heat coils which burn away the diseased section of esophageal tissue.  This is a fabulous new medical tool in the fight against esopohageal cancer and for those suffering from Barrett’s esophagus, which is one of the more prevalent cancers seen today.