Zollinger Ellison Syndrome: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Zollinger Ellison syndrome is a very rare one. In this syndrome, tumors develop in the upper part of the intestine, which is known as the duodenum, or on the pancreas. These tumors are known as gastrinomas. They secrete a homone that is known as gastrin, which makes your stomach secrete large amounts of acid. As a result, you can develop peptic ulcers, pain, diarrhoea, and other problems. ZES can be treated.

There are two main types of treatment options that can be used during ZES. The first focusses on the excess acid that is produced and secreted in the stomach. This is controlled through protonpump inhibitors. The second type of treatment option is surgery, during which the tumor is removed. As a result, the associated symptoms of ZES also stop.

Since this is a condition that is related to the gastrointestinal tract, maintaining a healthy diet as recommended by your dietician or nutritionist is of vital importance. This is to ensure that all the other functions of the organs in the digestive tract are not hampered with, and that things can continue to run smoothly.

Once ZES is diagnosed, the treatment plan will be laid out. The plan depends on your medical history and the severity of the symptoms you have. As stated earlier, there are two types of treatments which focus on different areas of impact.

Proton pump inhibitors are administered in order to control the excess acid that is secreted in the system. They are highly effective when it comes to controlling the acid. As a result, they can help with many of the other symptoms of a highly acidic stomach such as peptic ulcers, acidity, and diarrhoea.

The type of surgery that is carried out depends mostly on how many tumors you have. Surgery requires an extremely skilled surgeon as the tumors are often small and very hard to find. If there is a single tumor, the surgeon will elect to remove it however, in the case of multiple tumors, the surgery may not be possible. Sometimes, the tumors also spread to the liver. In this case, the part of the liver that is infected is taken out, or the blood flow towards that part of the liver is stopped in order to kill the tumors.

If you have been diagnosed with ZES, you are eligible to seek out treatment as its symptoms can be very harrowing to live with.

If a different medical condition is causing symptoms that are similar to ZES, but the diagnosis of ZES is not confirmed, then you should not seek out treatment that is meant for this condition.

There are certain side effects to using proton pump inhibitors. They can put you at risk for developing fractures later in life, especially if you are over 50 years of age. The side effects of undergoing any surgery include swelling, pain, and bruising. Finally, if the surgery happens in the lower intestine, then you may even develop anal incontinence.

With most gastrointestinal issues, the post treatment guidelines usually centre on the diet of the patient and ensuring that the stomach does not go through any other disorders related to food.

With most surgeries, it takes around 2 weeks to fully recover from the pain and effects of surgery.

The treatment can cost anywhere between Rs. 1,00,000 – Rs. 2,00,000.

The results of the treatment are permanent.

There are no home remedies or alternative treatments to the surgery.