Apr
hi guys can anyone give me some info on barratts disease please i am really worried as i have just been diagnoised with it thanks xx
Answer:
Hi,
Barrett's Oesophagus is a condition that develops in some people who have chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or inflammation of the oesophagus (oesophagitus).
In Barrett's Oesophagus, the normal cells that line the oesophagus, called squamous cells, turn into a type of cell not usually found in humans, called specialized columnar cells. Damage to the lining of the oesophagus - for example, by acid reflux from GERD - causes these abnormal changes.
People who have had regular or daily heartburn for more than 5 years may be at risk for Barrett's Oesophagus and should discuss the possibility with their doctor. Symptoms include waking during the night because of heartburn pain, vomiting, blood in vomit or stool, and difficulty swallowing. Some people do not have symptoms.
Diagnosis involves an endoscopy to look at the lining of the oesophagus and a biopsy to examine a sample of tissue. To do an endoscopy, the doctor gently guides a long, thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth and into the esophagus. The scope contains instruments that allow the doctor to see the lining of the esophagus and to remove a small tissue sample, called a biopsy. The biopsy will be examined in a lab to see whether the normal squamous cells have been replaced with columnar cells.
Once the cells in the lining of the oesophagus have turned into columnar cells, they will not revert back to normal. In other words, at this time, there is no cure for Barrett's oesophagus. The goal of treatment is to prevent further damage by stopping any acid reflux from the stomach. Medications that are helpful include H2 receptor antagonists (or H2 blockers) and proton pump inhibitors, which reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach. Examples of H2 blockers are cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine; the drugs omeprazole and lansoprazole are proton pump inhibitors. If these medications do not work, surgery to remove damaged tissue or a section of the oesophagus itself may be necessary. Fundoplication is the name of the surgery to remove part of the oesophagus and attach the stomach to the remaining section.
Sometime the damaged lining of the oesophagus becomes thick and hardened, causing strictures, or narrowing of the oesophagus. Strictures can interfere with eating and drinking by preventing food and liquid from reaching the stomach. Strictures are treated by dilation, in which an instrument gently stretches the strictures and expands the opening in the oesophagus.
About 5 to 10 percent of people with Barrett's develop cancer of the oesophagus. Because of the cancer risk, people with Barrett's oesophagus are screened for oesophageal cancer regularly.
Hope this helps, Good Luck x
Answer:
you means Barret Dis means Esophagial cancer?
Answer:
Most adenocarcinomas arise in Barrett's esophagus, which results from chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis. In Barrett's esophagus, a metaplastic, columnar, glandular, intestine-like mucosa with brush border and goblet cells replaces the normal stratified squamous epithelium of the distal esophagus during the healing phase of acute esophagitis when healing takes place in the continued presence of stomach acid. Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList