CASE 21
A 46-year-old man presented to his physician with complaints of difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and persistent heartburn of moderate discomfort. Because of the manifestation of dysphagia, a barium swallow was ordered that revealed a stricture at the distal end of the esophagus. Next, an endoscopic examination demonstrated esophagitis, and a biopsy showed the presence of Barrett’s esophagus (Fig. 3-25B, C and Fig. 3-26). The patient was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and managed with the proton-pump inhibitor, omeprazole. After 6 months of medical management with omeprazole, the patient still had not achieved good results. He then underwent a fundoplication procedure to restore the competency of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
