Barrett's esophagus

3 imperatives to transform health care in America. You're invited to watch it live

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Video

Video: Photodynamic therapy of the esophagus

By Mayo Clinic staff

Transcript

One option for destroying abnormal cells in your esophagus is called photodynamic therapy. Before the treatment, a light-sensitive medication is injected into a vein in your arm. During the next two days, this medication is absorbed by all the cells in your body. It builds up to a much greater degree in fast-growing cancerous or precancerous cells. Once the medication has been absorbed, your doctor uses an endoscope to guide a laser light down your esophagus to the site of the abnormal cells. The light from the laser activates the light-sensitive medication in the abnormal cells and destroys them. Typically, healthy cells grow back in their place. This procedure may be repeated a number of times, with several months in between treatments.

VIDEO HELP
If the video does not play, you may need to download and install the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player. For additional troubleshooting tips, browse the Multimedia FAQ.
MM00793 Jan. 25, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger