Anyone experience lung collapse after esophagectomy?

Well, I can certainly use help. I forewent surgery, so esophagus is still normal length. My stricture is 3 centimeters long, about 1/3 of the way down my esophagus, which is exactly where the tumor was. Left to what it normally wants to do, the residual scar tissue almost closes my esophagus. Mine was almost closed, post-treatment, and the GE doc dilated it to 12 mm. That was near the beginning of November. Last week, it had almost closed and he dilated it to 15 mm and said he'd see me in 3 months. Of course, my first thought was that it would be closed again by then. I had chemo with proton radiation at MD Anderson. Basically, the tumor was replaced with scar tissue. So far, I'm testing cancer-free, but I'm less than a year post-treatment, so I take that with a grain of salt. I had heard of self-dilation, but my gag reflex is the worst my ENT has ever seen. I'd be interested in learning how you overcame that to be able to dilate yourself...

Hi Linda, basically what you do in a self dilation is you stick a silicon tube down your throat and past the point of the stricture. It will make you gag and it is not pleasant at all but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier. You need to do at least the first dilation with a doctor that has the experience to do it. He also needs to tell you what size dilators you can use. Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss it and I will send you my number so I can give you much more info. It is great to be able to do your own dilation. Take care!

Manuel

@manuelo Thank you Manuel. That is approximately where my join was done. Before surgery I had a stricture at that point that several times closed to the point I couldn’t even swallow water. They did an endoscopy with dilation each week for three weeks, but it would not stay dilated. They could only dilate it to 8mm max, thus their conclusion that it was time for esophagectomy. I can swallow food pretty well, but it seems like the opening may be narrowing. How do you do a self dilation?

Well, I can certainly use help. I forewent surgery, so esophagus is still normal length. My stricture is 3 centimeters long, about 1/3 of the way down my esophagus, which is exactly where the tumor was. Left to what it normally wants to do, the residual scar tissue almost closes my esophagus. Mine was almost closed, post-treatment, and the GE doc dilated it to 12 mm. That was near the beginning of November. Last week, it had almost closed and he dilated it to 15 mm and said he'd see me in 3 months. Of course, my first thought was that it would be closed again by then. I had chemo with proton radiation at MD Anderson. Basically, the tumor was replaced with scar tissue. So far, I'm testing cancer-free, but I'm less than a year post-treatment, so I take that with a grain of salt. I had heard of self-dilation, but my gag reflex is the worst my ENT has ever seen. I'd be interested in learning how you overcame that to be able to dilate yourself...