difficulty swallowing

Have difficulty when swallowing solids and occasionally liquids.   Food seems to get stuck, liquid usually helps, yet sometimes does'nt and can cause coughing and choking.  Friend said he had similiar symptoms and had a growth in his throat (ring of tissue) discovered through endoscopy.  He does'nt know what it was called, but said his Doctor performed some sort of procedure to break the growth, allowing food to pass more freely.  What could this be and what is the procedure called to address such a problem?

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
There are many causes which cause difficulty in swallowing which are categorized in to mechanaical causes and motility disorders.
Examaples for mechanical causes include webs, stricture,cancer.
Examples for motility disorder includes acahalsia cardia.
The step in management is upper GI endoscopy which will show mechanical causes and sometimes motility disorder.
If it is normal then manomtry should be done.
The treatment depends on the cause.