I have been diagnosed with Schatzki's ring and want to know what I can expect. Is this a serious condition that requires intervention? What would the treatment be? It was diagnosed during an upper GI X-ray exam.

Kathy

A Schatzki ring is a thickening of the mucosa (lining) of the lower end of your esophagus (swallowing tube) that causes a narrowing of the opening the esophagus. The most common symptom is dysphagia, a feeling of food sticking as it goes down. Trouble swallowing is intermittent and is more likely to occur when you eat rapidly or do not chew your food well. It occurs principally with solid foods like large pieces of meat -- in fact, it's sometimes called "steakhouse syndrome" because it often happens during steak dinners.

I'm guessing you had the upper GI exam because you are having some trouble swallowing. If so, the condition is treated by dilating (stretching or disrupting) the ring by passing a rubber or hard plastic dilator (tube) into your esophagus past the ring. This procedure is extremely safe and can be done on an outpatient basis. You typically receive a light intravenous anesthetic ("twilight sleep") so you will not be uncomfortable or feel any pain. The dilation eliminates the swallowing trouble completely in more than 90 percent of cases.

If you do not have any trouble swallowing and the upper GI was done for another reason, the ring may not require any treatment -- it depends on the diameter of the ring. With effective treatment, it is extremely likely that you will have no long-term problems. You might wish to consult a GI specialist to have this taken care of. Good luck.