Fort Myers patients find relief with new swallowing disorder test device

Most people swallow without a second thought, but for those with swallowing disorders, it’s a different story.

The standard test for these disorders was notoriously difficult, involving an endoscope inserted through the throat while the patient was wide awake.

“So we really want to check people’s esophagus and look at the motility, or how strong and coordinated their esophagus is to swallow,” said Dr. Steve Siegal, a surgeon at the General Surgery Institute.

The traditional test required a catheter to be inserted through the nose, esophagus and stomach, which caused discomfort for many patients.

“That’s a catheter that goes down the nose, down the esophagus, into the stomach. And now, although that is our gold standard test, it is an awake test, and understandably, people have discomfort with that,” said Siegal.

Now, Siegal uses a new device called the EndoFLIP, which allows the test to be conducted while the patient is under anesthesia.

“It’s a pressure catheter that goes down within a balloon with a viscous fluid inside the balloon. We inflate the balloon, and the esophagus thinks it’s food. And when it thinks it’s food, it starts to digest it, so it starts to squeeze,” said Siegal.

The device includes a balloon with silver electrodes that act as pressure monitors, allowing Siegal to pinpoint problems in real time.

“If I squeeze here in the middle of the balloon, see how it gets red? That’s the pressure of me squeezing right here,” he demonstrated.

Siegal emphasized the importance of diagnosis and treatment, saying, “Nobody should really have to stay at home, suffering, not getting this worked out and sorted out, so coming to a diagnosis is important because things can be easily treatable.”

The new test is often part of a larger exam that includes a camera to check for issues like ulcers, making the whole process much easier for patients to handle.