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.
Explore this issue:
September 2009The 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).