-ectomy curative or palliative, WAS:my statement

[Guest guest]

jmr12667 wrote:

> The doctors have admitted to me that there is no " long term data " on

> how an esophagectomy will affect someone 10-40 year later. I am

> beginning to suffer from massive acid reflux something that was

> supposed to be stopped when I had my surgery 8 years ago. Now I am

> facing another surgery to stop the acid. The original intent of an

> esophagectomy was pallative for someone with esophageal cancer, not

> achalasia.

>

I am sorry you are facing another surgery. I think most everyone here

knows there are no guarantees. Any of our treatments could fail and

could even make us worse but will most likely make us better if done

appropriately and by an expert in achalasia or in the specific surgery.

I doubt you can find many 30 year follow-up studies on Heller myotomies

or PPI use either. We deal with the relevant information we have. Maybe

it is just me but I don't see " original use " as relevant. What would

matter to me is that esophagectomy has long be used with curative

intentions and not just palliative intentions.

Here is another link:

Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

SSAT Patient Care Guidelines

Surgical Treatment Of Esophageal Cancer

http://www.ssat.com/cgi-bin/esoph.cgi

" The earliest forms of cancer—high grade dysplasia and cancer contained

within the mucosa—may be treated by an esophagectomy with a high

expectation of cure. "

notan