Help: Camera Endoscopy Report Terms

[heartofwisdom]

Can someone tell me any of the notes on my Camera Endoscopy Report? I need laymen's terms.

1. Scalloped villi (I can see the photo, I call it a bald spot) but it it really bad. Does everyone have them?

2. Dilated with Retained fluid.

3. Ulcerated foci

4. Hemmorrhagic foci (I assume bleeding)

5. Clumped mucosa

My doctor showed me but didn't explain.

Any help appreciated.

 

[soupdragon69]

Ok lets see if I can help here.... these are off the top of my head and am tired so bear with me ;-)

1. Scalloped villi - Villi are small projections in your gut wall that help absorb nutrients into your bloodstream from your food. They should be fingerlike in shape. Look at your little finger and think of that shape ok? The fact they are scalloped means they are damaged. Alot of Coeliacs have similar damage as an example due to being unable to absorb gluten. From a crohns perspective it could just be damage to your gut wall due to inflammation etc.

2. Dilated with retained fluid - means the area/villi are enlarged or engorged with fluid that just shouldnt be there. That can be part of an inflammatory response as the body retains fluid when it knows its unwell to preserve function as best as possible. Bit like having a high temperature and feeling thirsty but drinking lots. Make sense?

3. Ulcerated foci - Ulcers have developed in specific areas - a point of focus/clearly seen in the biopsy.

4. Haemorraghic foci - Yep you are right specific points of bleeding seen too.

5. Clumped mucosa - mucosa is a layer (if you like) of the gut wall. It should be fairly evenly laid out not all scrunched up together. Makes it difficult for the gut to absorb your nutrients from.

These are very basic explanations and I didnt want to blind you with science. Biopsies look at several layers of the gut wall including an area called the Lamina Propria and where it starts, finishes, whether it has an increase in certain types of cells that could point to inflammation and the body trying to deal with it for instance.. They look at how long the villi are and also how deep the spaces (or crypts) are between them too amongst many other things!

Basically they have proven you have a problem! They now need to address it and give you the appropriate treatment with a "label" as to what it is i.e Crohns etc. Dont ever be afraid to push your medics for answers in plain terms so you can understand what they are on about! Its YOUR body and the more you understand the better you will be able to focus on following the treatment and learning to listen to your body so you can give them more info and they can continue to tailor the treatment to you as an individual. So PUSH them!

Hope my waffle made sense despite my tiredness... and you are doing ok after the news today too.

 

[heartofwisdom]

Jan,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I can deal with anything if I can understand it. I watched videos on villi (looks like the carpet I see so often around by toilet LOL)

My Dr mentioned high pressure area and hold ups. Now that I have done research I wonder if its the same as strictures or narrowings? I'll know to ask next time.

He is calling it Crohns and started me on IV Steroids and Predizone (D stopped but I'm still bleeding). Tomorrow I have a tube in my nose to sm intestine --enteroclysis.

He mentioned surgery but I won't meet with Dr again until the 18. I'm impatient. I want to know if cutting is gogin to be happening.

Thanks again.
Robin

 

[soupdragon69]

Robin,

Information with understandable terminology is what takes the fear out of anything and makes it managable and workable and livable - remember that and it will help you to ask questions and not be intimidated by their knowledge base ok?

As I said its the bare bones and all you really need to get your head round things at the minute.

Write out a list of questions that you think of between now and then no matter how silly some of them seem they are important to YOU! You could be right on the strictures front but ASK him to explain it in terms you can understand dont sit there and wonder! Might also be the "Hold ups" are where your gut speed slows down for example, could be inflammation causing narrowing that havent yet become strictures is another thought. Do you see what I mean now about its important to find out about YOU?

Hope the tests go ok. A little advice on the tube front?? Concentrate on and FOCUS on breathing slowly during the placement. It will help prevent you from panicking and make the tube slide in easier too ok? I saw in another thread you have been worried about it.

Hang in there things WILL improve. Remember it took time for your gut to "fall apart" its gonna take time to heal it too alright?

Will be thinking of you! ((hugs)) (oh yeah yer analogy of the carpet is a good one too! ;-) )

 

[heartofwisdom]

It is a lot to get my mind around. Especially wondering "OK, I have symptom xxx now how bad is that?" Does that mean cutting? a Pouch? How fast am I going down hill? Will I get to a point I can't take care of my horses? My children?
How great to be able to come here and get an some answers from someone with experience-- priceless.

I ordered the book "The Angry Gut: Coping With Colitis And Crohn's Disease" but I'm able to read alot of it online through Google Book Search. Lots of info.

My Lamaze focusing and breathing should come in handy tomorrow. I'll check in tomorrow and let you know.

Clear liquids AGAIN, this chicken broth is for the birds.

Thanks again,
Robin

 

[soupdragon69]

Your questions are those we all ask as individuals, the more we discover, that there are so many different facets to Crohns and how it could, might and does impact on us each in its own way. Alot of us find that we need to learn to listen to our body day to day. Fatigue and exhaustion go hand in hand with poor absorption Robin. If they do discuss surgery the chances are very high you will go into remission and planned surgery is better than emergency surgery I was told by my team a year ago. INFORMATION is EVERYTHING though. So make sure you understand exactly what your team is aiming to achieve and how! Maybe ask them to give you a number on a scale of 1-10 in relation to how severe they feel your crohns is? Its what my gastro consultant did at the start saying mine was a 7.5-8 and started me on treatment very fast. So far I have avoided surgery too.

Take it one step at a time. Keep the rolling ball of gathering information about and for YOU going. You dont say where you are from but a good general site for info that I always give folk is www.crohns.org.uk

It was designed by the gastro teams at the hospital I go to here in the UK and is useful for going back time and again for easy answers. I still use it as a memory jogger.

Good you have a book on the way too as the printed page can help too on the reference side. And you have found us here!

Keep posting. Keep taking it one day at a time. Keep asking - be it here or your medics or books etc.

Hope the test goes well! ((hugs))