Patient Spotlight Scott LaVoie, Thoracic Surgery, Barret’s Esophagus
Teachers encourage their students to be curious. So, when Scott Lavoie’s students asked the high school math teacher and Army veteran about the telltale scar on his neck, he told them. Because Scott has a story others can learn from. “Food was getting stuck in my chest and esophagus, causing pressure and pain,” he said. Scott asked his primary care provider about his trouble swallowing during a routine physical. A whirlwind of GI-related tests revealed extensive damage to his esophagus caused by escaping stomach acid. The diagnosis: Barrett’s Esophagus with high-grade dysplasia — and it was precancerous. Faced with an escalating condition, Scott met with cardiothoracic surgeon, Sean Jordan, MD.
“He said it would progress to esophageal cancer. If not in six or nine months, certainly in one or two years,” Scott said.
So, Jordan and James M. McLoughlin, MD, a surgical oncologist, reconstructed Scott’s esophagus and upper stomach, a surgery that lasted about eight hours.
“From the surgeons to the residents, the nurses and my physical therapist, I had very competent people taking care of me,” Scott said. Five days after his surgery, a swallow test showed Scott’s healing was on target. Just two months later, he was released from care and now eats whatever he wants in small meals throughout the day. Now back at school full time, Scott’s been answering questions from students and raising awareness of Barrett’s esophagus and silent reflux with colleagues who may have similar symptoms. “One of them is a close friend, also a veteran and fellow teacher. He told me he had Barrett’s esophagus, and he was going to get it checked out. Now he’s changing his diet,” Scott said.
Scott has a lot of lessons yet to share and is thankful to UT Medical Center for helping him. “This gave me a new lease on life.”
16 | HLVI Annual Report
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