Esophageal Injury Lawyers in St. Louis

Esophageal Trauma

The esophagus connects the mouth to the stomach and is collapsed unless swallowing. It is located directly behind the trachea, or windpipe, in your neck and continues along the back of the chest cavity to the abdomen where it connects with the stomach. It is not commonly injured unless a penetrating trauma occurs to the chest cavity, particularly if a sharp object enters the chest cavity from the back. The most common causes of this would be gunshot and stabbing injuries, or injury in a motor vehicle accident.

Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms directly related to injury to the esophagus consist of pain and difficulty swallowing. If the injury is close to where the esophagus and stomach connect it would be possible for injury to occur to the sphincter, or muscle that keeps the content of the stomach from moving backwards into the esophagus. In this situation, the acidic contents of the stomach could spill into the chest and or abdominal cavity causing irritation and severe pain.

The treatment for an esophageal trauma is surgical repair. In most cases, a temporary feeding tube will be needed until the esophagus has healed, allowing you to consume food orally.

Prognosis

Most have a complete recovery following rehabilitation for swallowing. However, you may continue to have pain with swallowing for months to years after injury. Another possible complication is scar tissue causing constriction of the esophagus; this will result in food getting stuck at times and will require a modification in your diet or possibly another surgery to dilate the esophagus. Finally, if the injury is close to the stomach and the sphincter must be repaired you may experience problems with acid reflux.

Renowned Injury Attorneys Working for You

Page Law is a preeminent St. Louis personal injury firm with experience handling the toughest traumatic injury cases. Our accident lawyers are committed to helping you get the compensation you deserve. Call (314) 322-8515 today for a free consultation regarding your esophageal trauma. We are dedicated to protecting your interests.