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Hi I Had An Upper Endoscopy Yesterday. . I Have

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Posted on Wed, 3 Feb 2021
Question: Hi I had an upper endoscopy yesterday. . I have Gerd or reflux and my last one was 11 years ago along with colonoscopy and was perfectly normal. 11 years ago I went on the XXXXXXX diet and for the first time in my life I had reflux that sent me to the emergency room. I took acifex for a couple of years. That quit working and I went on dexilant 60mg. Took that for a couple of years and was able to get off that for around 6 years or more. During the stress and the pandemic ireflux started up again. I am on it now. My Question. I had a routine endoscopy and colonoscopy. I had 4 small polyps that my Dr. said were no big worry. She took biopsies of my esophhogus etc and thew only finding was chronic gastritis and z-line irregular at thr gastroesophageal juncion. Biopsied, Normal duodenum. I am now freaking out as to what all this means. Could you please explain. I know the biopsy will answer everything but that could be 10 days to 2 weeks.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
See details below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
I read your query and here is my advice.

You have been having GERD for many years
which is now reoccurring again after a period of break .

The GERD may cause chronic inflammation of esophageal mucosa causing redness changes in the esophageal cells and sometimes Barret esophagus.
z line is the place where this changes happen more often. XXXXXXX esophagus may lead to cancer.
The biopsy will show if these damaged cells are present or not and if yes excision may be done to prevent cancer happen.
So as a conclusion , irregularities and redness is seen but biopsy will show if it has cancerous tendency and if yes excision may prevent cancer.
Hope I have answered the question.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (42 minutes later)
Can You tell me what a Z-line irreguar is. Is it always Less than 1 cm in Length. If so those virtually never become cancerous per articles I read. is that accurate? Your saying the findings probably will not be cancer but a condition that on rare occasions have the ability to turn cancerous. Correct? I read it takes 20 - 30 years for cancer to develop when diagnosed with barrotts.. Do you know how accurate that is?
I was also told I do not have a hiatal Hernis. It also says up to 95% of Barrot Esophogus diagnosis are in people with Hiatal Hernias? Is that correct.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (37 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
See details below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
You are right on what you are saying.
The z line irregular is less than 1 cm columnar epithelial lining extending to gastro esophageal junction.
The possibility of cancerous cells is very low
in a irregular z line of less than 1 cm.
It can be XXXXXXX esophagus but if it is less than 1 cm the possibility of cancer is very low.
The greater the length of mucosal lining with Barret esophageal changes the greater the risks of cancer.
Also the longer the time a person has Barret the greater the cancer risk is .
So it can be 20 or more years.
It is not only hiatal hernia which can cause reflux or Barret esophagus but most of the people which have hiatal hernia suffer from GERD and possible XXXXXXX esophagus.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)
A final question. I want to be sure. If they use the term irregular z-line it is defined as less than 1 cm. Not 2 or 3 cn. Is there a term they use for a larger amount of irregularity?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
See classification below

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.

Of course, there is a classification of the z line changes found.

Z line appearance grade 0 -z line without protrusions
ZLA grade 1- An irregular z line with a suspicious tongue like less than 1 cm
ZLA grade 2- obvious columnar epithelial less than 3 cm
ZLA grade 3 - district and obvious tongue of columnar epithelial tissue more l than 3 cm


Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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Answered by
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Dr. Olgeta Xhufka

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 10166 Questions

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Hi I Had An Upper Endoscopy Yesterday. . I Have

Brief Answer: See details below. Detailed Answer: Hello dear and thank you for asking again. I read your query and here is my advice. You have been having GERD for many years which is now reoccurring again after a period of break . The GERD may cause chronic inflammation of esophageal mucosa causing redness changes in the esophageal cells and sometimes Barret esophagus. z line is the place where this changes happen more often. XXXXXXX esophagus may lead to cancer. The biopsy will show if these damaged cells are present or not and if yes excision may be done to prevent cancer happen. So as a conclusion , irregularities and redness is seen but biopsy will show if it has cancerous tendency and if yes excision may prevent cancer. Hope I have answered the question. Let me know if I can assist you further.