Two years ago, Joan Rivers died a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure. In August 2014, Ms. Rivers underwent a sedated upper endoscopy which is a very commonly performed medical procedure that examines the esophagus and stomach when someone is suspected of having acid reflux disease. She suffered an untoward event during the procedure and ultimately succumbed a few days later.
What lurks lies behind her death, however, is a sinister force of monetary self interest that is conspiring to minimize the risks associated with the use of sedated endoscopies-and forestall the use of a safer alternative. This conspiracy of silence must be exposed before more and more people die unnecessarily.
That is why Citizens for Safe Endoscopy has been formed to educate the public about the health threats posed by traditional and expensive endoscopic procedures.
Dr. Jonathan Aviv, a long time and forceful advocate of TNE, makes the case-and he deserves the last word:
“Media coverage of TNE in the New York Times, Good Morning America, and other outlets over the past year has helped to increase the popularity of the procedure among patients, said Jonathan E. Aviv, MD, Clinical Director of the Voice and Swallowing Center at ENT and Allergy Associates in New York. Because esophageal cancer incidence is growing, physician and patients are looking for better ways to diagnose the disease, and TNE is one of most convenient and safe methods of doing so, he explained.” (http://www.enttoday.org/article/transnasal-esophagoscopy-a-viable-alternative-to-conventional-procedures/)
Listen to Dr. Jonathan Aviv’s interview with Bob Salter here…