The CT scan showed a narrowing of the lower portion of the duodenum. (See the diagram below.) The narrowing is caused by the tumor in the pancreas placing pressure on that portion of the digestive tract.
Dr. Ritch set my dad up to have a stent put in tomorrow morning. A stent is a small plastic or metal tube that will keep the duodenum open. It will be done as an outpatient procedure using a GI scope, so no incision! This procedure will be performed by Dr. Kulwinder Dua. Dr Dua was Dr. Ritch's first and only choice to perform this procedure on my dad.
Also, the chemotherapy treatment for today was cancelled. Dr. Ritch wants to wait and see how thing go; then he'll decide about restarting the gemcitabine (chemotherapy drug) or going to another alternative.
I am very hopefully that this stent will improve my dad's quality of life. Ideally, it will stop the vomiting. It is also possible that the stent would enable my dad to eat without "feeling full" on small amounts of food.
1 comment:
So let me get this right. . .he's getting his duodenum fixed by Dr. Dua? Coincidence?
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