Currently, the patient weighs 40 kg, is emaciated and thin. At first, she could only swallow rice, then porridge, and vomited when drinking water. Afraid of cancer, the patient went to the doctor and was treated with many types of medicine but did not get better. Recently, she could not eat or drink, every time she ate, she vomited, always felt choked, had a sore throat, and her body was severely exhausted.
On June 22, Dr. Pham Viet Hung, Head of the Department of Surgery, Quang Ninh General Hospital, said that the ultrasound results showed that the lower part of the esophagus was constricted and narrowed, the upper part was dilated, fluid and medicine were stagnant, and the cardiac orifice was tightly contracted. X-ray images showed esophageal contrast agent stagnation and constriction at the cardiac position.
The doctor diagnosed the patient with severe achalasia, which caused his health to deteriorate. This is a rare disease and is easily misdiagnosed as other digestive diseases.
After consultation, the doctor prescribed endoscopic surgery to open the esophageal sphincter and create an anti-reflux valve. "This is a difficult technique, requiring the entire mucosal layer to be opened without puncturing the esophagus and at the same time creating an anti-reflux valve using the upper part of the stomach," the doctor said.
On the first day after surgery, the patient no longer had difficulty swallowing, could eat and drink, did not vomit, and his body recovered quickly.
X-ray image of esophageal contrast agent retention, spasm at the cardiac position. Photo: Provided by the hospital
Achalasia is a neuromotor disorder of the esophagus, caused by the lower esophageal sphincter no longer being able to open itself when there is a swallowing reflex. At this time, food and saliva secreted during eating will be stuck in the esophagus, making it difficult or impossible for it to go down to the stomach.
This disease greatly affects the patient's life, causing physical exhaustion with the characteristic symptom of progressive difficulty swallowing. Initially, the patient has difficulty swallowing solid food, then liquids, and even choking on water. The disease can be fatal due to food stagnating in the esophagus flowing into the airway causing choking.
Treatment of achalasia with medication is often ineffective. If not detected and treated early, the patient is at risk of esophageal ulcers, pneumonia, poor health and progression to esophageal cancer.
Doctors recommend that people with any symptoms of vomiting, reflux, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, or choking should go to reputable medical facilities for examination and timely detection and treatment.
Minh An
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