Son of Achalasian has swallowing problem

[Guest guest]

Three times in the last 4 years my son (now 32) has gotten food stuck in

his esophagus, twice having to go to the hospital to have an endoscope

clear it out. Never did I think it was achalasia, after all, us

achalasians know achalasia when we see it.

After his 3rd bout recently where the food got stuck again, but his

retching got it to shoot back up, I got him to make an appointment in

NYC with my GI, Dr Traube, who saw him today and ordered an

endoscopy for him on June 2nd.

This morning, before his appt. my wife asked me what I thought it might

be, and I recalled Notan's discussing Schatzki's rings, a narrowing of

the E just above the stomach. The article could have been written about

him.

http://www.medicinenet.com/schatzki_ring/article.htm

<http://www.medicinenet.com/schatzki_ring/article.htm>

It seems as if 6% of the population might have this condition, though

some people will never have symptoms of it.

The non-surgical method for helping this condition is very similar to

what many of us have gone through, either a stretching using tapered

dilators, or a rupturing using a balloon (we all know about that one).

This question is for Notan, or anyone else familiar with the topic. I

was wondering if a balloon dilatation might end up exposing his

esophagus to acid reflux? Thus, if the " cure " is worse than having the

condition.

Thank you.