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The procedure
The procedure
The procedure is usually carried out with the patient awake but sedated or under general anaesthesia. It aims to improve swallowing by widening the neck of the pouch so that food does not collect in it.
A flexible endoscope is used to examine the gullet. Special instruments passed through the endoscope divide the wall between the pouch and oesophagus. A tube is inserted through the nose and into the stomach during the procedure, and this may need to stay in place for a short while afterwards. More than 1 treatment session may be needed to relieve symptoms.
Because the procedure can be done with the patient sedated, it may be useful for people who cannot have a general anaesthetic because of other conditions. The procedure uses a flexible endoscope rather than a rigid one, so it may be useful for people with limited or painful neck movement.