ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Transnasal Esophagoscopy: A Viable Alternative to Conventional Procedures

by Heather Lindsey • September 1, 2009

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

Transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) offers physicians and patients a number of advantages compared with conventional esophagoscopy (CE) performed transorally with sedation, and has become increasingly popular in clinical practice over the past several years.

You Might Also Like

No related posts.

Explore This Issue
September 2009

The popularity of TNE began about seven or eight years ago with its introduction to the otolaryngology community, said Gregory Postma, MD, Director of Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders and Professor of Otolaryngology at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta.

The procedure involves inserting an ultra thin endoscope through the nasal passages and into the esophagus. The endoscope provides excellent illumination and image quality, allowing full visualization of the esophagus, all while avoiding sedation as is necessary with CE, wrote Dr. Postma and his colleagues in a recent paper (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;138:411-4).

It has become very popular, explained Dr. Postma. Most residency and training programs now use it, and TNE is still offered at various training courses.

Gregory Postma, MDIt has become very popular. Most residency and training programs now use it, and TNE is still offered at various training courses.
-Gregory Postma, MD

Media coverage of TNE in the New York Times, Good Morning America, and other outlets over the past year has helped to increase the popularity of the procedure among patients, said Jonathan E. Aviv, MD, Clinical Director of the Voice and Swallowing Center at ENT and Allergy Associates in New York. Because esophageal cancer incidence is growing, physician and patients are looking for better ways to diagnose the disease, and TNE is one of most convenient and safe methods of doing so, he explained.

Indications

Although not yet proven, TNE is likely to lead to an earlier diagnosis of esophageal cancer, which will improve overall patient survival, noted Dr. Aviv, who is also a consultant for Medtronic and Vision Sciences. The disease is usually diagnosed after the patient starts experiencing swallowing problems, and by this time, the one-year mortality rate is 90%, he explained. However, if diagnosed early, about 90% of patients are alive after one year, he added.

In addition to screening for esophageal cancer, TNE is used to examine other pathologies of the esophagus, including reflux esophagitis and eosinophilic esophagitis, the latter of which is being recognized more frequently among young people, said Dr. Aviv.

Eosinophilic esophagitis is extremely common in patients with dysphagia due to allergies but is generally difficult to diagnose, added Dr. Aviv. However, with TNE, the physician can pass the endoscope into the esophagus and take esophageal biopsies to make the diagnosis, he explained.

Figure. One of many uses for transnasal esophagoscopy is for the detection and surveillance of Barrett's esophagus (shown) to ensure that the disease has not become cancerous.

click for large version
Figure. One of many uses for transnasal esophagoscopy is for the detection and surveillance of Barrett’s esophagus (shown) to ensure that the disease has not become cancerous.

Physicians also use TNE to assess dysphagia, caustic ingestions, and long-standing esophageal reflux symptoms, said Dr. Postma. Other indications include assessment of chronic cough, globus pharyngeus, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and esophageal varix follow-up, he said. TNE is also used in head and neck cancer patients to assess whether the esophagus is free of a second primary tumor, said Dr. Postma.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 | Single Page

Filed Under: Everyday Ethics, Head and Neck, Laryngology, Rhinology, Tech Talk Tagged With: edoscopy, esophagoscopy, patient safety, TNE, TrendsIssue: September 2009

You Might Also Like:

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Rating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Severity: How Do Two Common Instruments Compare?
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Is Radiofrequency Ablation a Good Alternative to Surgery for Benign Thyroid Nodules? A Look at Benefits, Risks
    • What Happens to Medical Students Who Don’t Match?
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Rating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Severity: How Do Two Common Instruments Compare?
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Neurogenic Cough Is Often a Diagnosis of Exclusion
    • Complications for When Physicians Change a Maiden Name
    • Smell and Taste Disorder Differences Seen Between Long-Term COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 Patients
    • The Triological Society is Growing in Ethnic and Gender Diversity as Well as Thesis Acceptance
    • No Persistent Postoperative Swallowing Dysfunction Following Pharyngeal Surgery in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    • Do the Principles of Adult Learning Maximize Training Efficiency and Efficacy for Pediatric Otolaryngologists?
    • Prolonged Operative Time Associated with Multiple Adverse Outcomes in Endoscopic Sinonasal Surgery

Polls

Do you think that women have made large enough strides in otolaryngology leadership and gender equity?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Preferences

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2023 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939