Barrett’s Oesophagus

Most people don’t experience any symptoms. Several of the associated symptoms of Barrett's oesophagus are similar to those of other digestive disorders. This means that many people don’t look for medical treatment until it has developed into an advanced condition. 

The main symptoms of Barrett's oesophagus include:

• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

• heartburn (burning sensation in the chest)

• chest pain

• vomiting and nausea

• weight loss

• a feeling of fullness during eating

The main cause of Barrett’s oesophagus is acid reflux. This occurs when some acid or bile in your stomach flows back up into your oesophagus and damages the lining over time. 

Risk factors

Acid reflux is strongly linked to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD or GERD) — around 10% of people with long-term GORD (over 5 years) will develop Barrett’s oesophagus.

While Barrett’s oesophagus can affect anyone, it’s twice as common in men as in women, and is rare in children. Other risk factors include:

• being over 50 years old

• white ethnicity

• obesity (especially high levels of belly fat)

• a family history of the condition

• smoking

• high alcohol intake

To determine if you have Barrett’s oesophagus, your gastroenterologist will start by asking you to provide your medical history. If you have many factors that increase your chances of developing Barrett’s oesophagus, they’ll recommend diagnostic tests.

Tests for Barrett’s oesophagus

At Welbeck, we can provide you with fast, high-quality diagnostic services to investigate the symptoms of Barrett’s Oesophagus. Most of these services can be conducted as day-case procedures, without the need for an overnight stay. It may take a few days for the results of laboratory tests from a biopsy to become available.

We offer 2 main tests to diagnose this condition. 

Upper endoscopy (gastroscopy) 

In this procedure, an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube) will be inserted down your oesophagus, stomach, and the first part of your duodenum (small intestine). This will allow your gastroenterologist to see changes in the lining of your oesophagus.

Endoscopic biopsy

In this test, a small amount of cell tissue is removed from the lining of your oesophagus during the endoscopy and sent to a laboratory to be checked for cellular changes.

Making certain lifestyle changes can help to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach and the risk of Barrett’s oesophagus. 

These changes include:

• maintaining a healthy weight

• avoiding tight-fitting clothes

• giving up smoking

• avoiding stooping, bending, or lying down after eating

• raising the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches

People with high-grade dysplasia in Barrett’s oesophagus have a high risk of getting oesophagus cancer. The pre-cancerous cells of dysplasia are classified into 2 grades, low grade and high grade, based on how abnormal the cells appear under the microscope in a biopsy.

People with low-grade dysplasia in Barrett’s oesophagus have an increased risk of oesophagus cancer, but most don’t go on to get this cancer.

If you’ve been diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus, then your consultant may recommend that you have regular examinations to watch out for signs of dysplasia.

There are various ways to manage Barrett’s oesophagus. Your treatment will depend on how severe your cellular changes appear to be, as well as your overall health. The main aim of treatment is to reduce acid reflux, control your symptoms, and prevent the development of oesophageal cancer.

Monitoring the condition

If you’ve been diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus, your consultant may recommend that you have an endoscopy and biopsy on a regular basis to watch out for signs of cancer development. Your consultant will discuss your diagnosis with you and advise on how often you should be monitored based on your individual circumstances.

Medications

If you have Barrett’s Oesophagus, your consultant will usually advise you to take acid-suppressing medications.

The most commonly used medications to treat Barrett’s oesophagus include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole and lansoprazole. These treatments work by reducing acid production in your stomach. This action naturally reduces the acid from refluxing back into your oesophagus.

Endoscopy treatments

Over the past 20 years, the rapid development of endoscopic technology has meant that safe and effective treatments are available for treating dysplasia and early cancer in Barrett’s oesophagus. Other treatments include endoscopic mucosal resection, radiofrequency ablation, and cryotherapy.

Surgery

Your consultant may also be able to treat the tissue changes linked to Barrett’s oesophagus with surgery. If they think you may benefit from surgery, they’ll refer you to a surgeon to discuss your treatment options.

At Welbeck, our gastroenterologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to make sure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.