Damage to esophageal sphincter after colonoscopy/gastroscopy procedure...?
Due to a recent colonoscopy, my mother now has damage to her esophageal sphincter which now causes high stomach acid reflux and trouble with blood flow due to reduced heart activity.
During the procedure she was put to sleep.
What would be the best thing to do in response?
Comments
The colonoscopy could not cause such damage.
During gastroscopy, the esophageal sphincter is frequently dilated on purpose because it has scarred down from persistent reflux. I think it highly unlikely that the procedure did any damage, and that the acid reflux was pre-existing. There are meds like proton pump inhibitors for this. Also, some lifestyle changes such as weight loss and not eating within a few hours before bedtime.
Your mother should revisit the doctor who did her procedure and explain her symptoms. She can ask for the operative report.
Colonoscopes are not long enough to reach from the anus to the esophageal sphincter. A colonoscopy will not have any impact whatsoever on her reflux.
A gastroscopy (actually EGD: esophagogastroduodenoscopy) is also very unlikely to damage the esophageal sphincter, as the tube is small and placed under direct visualization. The statement: "trouble with blood flow due to reduced heart activity" makes no logical sense with regard to an EGD.
The best response is to return to the GI doctor, or another one if you don't like that one (but make sure records are sent to the new one in advance of a visit) and get a better explanation of what the problem is. There is clearly some confusion on somebody's part here, or a misunderstanding of what you were told.
You also don't say if she is being medicated for the reflux, which was probably diagnosed during, but not caused by, the EGD. PPI medications are usually the first step in treating reflux.
I hope you get it sorted out.
Esophageal Gastroscopy
No - not necessarily. Our 14 month old grandson has acid reflux because he was premature and the sphincter doesn't yet have good tone. A missing sphincter would likely result in something much worse than acid reflux.
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