So much happens at the dinner table.
There are many terms for it. The casual let’s grab a bite. Let’s do lunch.
The bold…want to go out? Can I make you dinner?
The religious…Easter brunch ending in Lent, Ed al-Fitr after Ramadan, the Passover Seder.
The festive…a luau, a potluck and of course…Thanksgiving.
But what happens when you can’t swallow the food enjoyed at these celebrations?
Dr. David Griffin is a thoracic surgeon with Intermountain Health. His focus is on a disorder called Achalasia. It impacts about 1 in 10-thousand people. It sounds rare, but that’s a relatively common disorder in medical terms…and it can make people miserable.
“So, food gets stuck right about here, although they can sense it anywhere.”
Griffin said treatment has come a long way.
“We have treated this disorder and other swallowing disorders with surgery for many years, we went from incisions that were this big between the ribs, to little laparoscopic incisions which many times the muscle of the esophagus is cut this way called a Heller myotomy. And POEM is another way to do it. But without any incisions on the skin. We do it through the mouth.”
He did say POEM, but not the ‘shall I compare the to a summer’s day?’ type.
POEM is a much easier way to say Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy.
Through the mouth they get to the muscle that constricts around the esophagus to block food.
“By cutting the muscle we open that O, into a C and if that muscle doesn't have anything to pull on, it opens up that area. And it makes it easier for food to go down. So, it helps improve swallowing,” said Griffin.
Swallowing seems so simple.
“Swallowing is like just about anything else like breathing, you don't think about it until you can't do it,” said Griffin.
“Swallowing is among the most complicated things in your body. It's amazing that food makes it from here to here in some ways. In fact, it's one of the common reasons people go to the ER thinking they're having a heart attack, but don't.”
The implications go beyond discomfort and pain. It’s about getting enough nutrients, and it’s about experiencing one of life’s sources of joy and meaning.
“It takes away part of one of the most what I think is one of the most basic human things, sitting down having a meal with people you care about, or want to learn about,” said Griffin.
There are other disorders related to swallowing and the esophagus.
If you have more trouble eating than the people around you, it’s work talking to your doctor to determine if there is a medical explanation and treatment available.
To learn more about the POEM procedure visit intermountainhealthcare.org.
