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Esophageal emergencies are important to understand as they are related to one of the most vital organs of the human body- the esophagus. Esophagus is a tube like organ that links pharynx with the stomach. Its main function is to pass the food swallowed by a person to the stomach. Hence, any problems in the esophageal areas may directly restrict proper passage of food and affect the person's health immensely.
Meaning and types of esophageal emergencies
Emergencies related to esophagus are the disorders or abnormalities occurring in the esophageal areas that need urgent medical attention. Such emergencies can turn severe rapidly and may even be fatal if ignored beyond a certain limit. Difficulty in swallowing is the most major symptom and warning for undergoing thorough examination of the esophagus and needs to be cured on an urgent basis. Treatment can be in the form of normal medication or surgical methods and needs to be taken according to the urgency of curing the disease.
Emergencies of esophagus are of three major types: traumatic esophageal injury, foreign body impaction and esophagitis. Esophageal injuries can be of various types and may occur due to various different reasons. Reverse flow of acids from stomach areas is one of the major causes of irritations in the esophagus. High dosage of medical drugs, strong medicines and direct or indirect consumption of foodstuffs or drinks containing hazardous chemicals are harmful for esophagus and may lead to emergency disorders.
Intake of sharp object like pin, clip etc. may lead to serious injuries in the esophagus and cause irreversible damage to the areas. People who have to undergo regular medication for chronic or other lifelong diseases should be very careful about their health issues. Any uneasiness while swallowing food should be attended on an urgent basis as it may lead to severe emergency of the esophagus. Excess pressure on esophagus may also lead to injuries in the area. Such pressure may create due to sudden vomiting in a violent manner or due to improper eating habits.
Sudden impact may lead to serious pains in the areas adjacent to breastbones and may cause internal bleeding. This may impact the esophageal areas severely and create a complicated situation.
Esophagitis is also one of the important forms of esophageal emergencies. In this type of disorder, the esophageal lining gets ulcerated or inflamed and may cause severe pains to the victim. Erosive esophagitis is a condition in which a person faces issues of esophagus due to chronic and frequent acid reflux. Intake of substances or liquids that may prove corrosive or damaging to the esophagus should be avoided. Certain medicines and cleansing agents may prove hazardous for esophageal health and cause serious infections or injuries. Thus, any medication should be taken by proper medical prescription and in only the recommended dosage.
Esophageal laceration is a situation in which a tear is not able to penetrate the esophagus walls. At times, the laceration may occur in the lower region of esophagus or upper region of the stomach and lead to a syndrome called Mallory-Weiss syndrome and may also result into bleeding. People who consume alcohol in excess are at a higher risk of being prone to this syndrome. Detection of blood in vomits is one of the most basic symptoms of the disorder. The syndrome is curable by normal medication. Angiography or esophagoscopy are the basic methods to diagnose the disorder. The disorder may also be treated by surgery if the condition is severe and needs urgent attention.
Esophageal ruptures are quite contrary to esophageal laceration and penetrate into the esophagus. They primarily target the walls of the esophagus and cause severe injuries in the region. Most of the tears are caused during endoscopy when a tube-like structure is passed into a person's body to examine the internal areas. This type of emergency is quite severe as compared to others as it directly affects some of the vital organs like lungs and chest. Such ruptures may also be caused due to vomiting, swallowing large mass or lump of food at a time or even due to other internal infections already occurring in the esophageal regions. Abdominal pains, chest pains and difficulties in breathing are some of the early symptoms of such disorder.
Esophageal emergencies can be fatal if not treated well and on an urgent basis. Emergencies need to be tackled by expert and experienced team to make the process more reliable and timely. Also, the patient suffering from emergencies needs to be patient and undergo the treatment only as advised by the physician. Post-treatment care is also important in such cases and regular medical examination even in the post-treatment phase is vital from patient's point of view.
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