Esophageal Banding & Coffee Consumption: What You Need to Know

Esophageal banding is one treatment for varices, which are englarged veins in the wall of the esophagus that can cause sudden and serious bleeding from high blood pressure in the veins. Drinking coffee can cause risks for patients who have undergone the banding surgery and have high blood pressure in general.

Effects

• Coffee, which is high in caffeine, increases blood pressure. During an esophageal banding operation, a surgeon places small elastic bands around the enlarged veins, cutting off their blood supply to cause them to dry up. Drinking coffee (or any highly caffeinated drink or food) after banding surgery creates the risk of increased blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about when it is safe for you to resume drinking coffee.

Warning

• Coffee also stimulates acid reflux, which are stomach or bile acids that back up into the esophagus and erode the esophageal lining. This can cause additional bleeding, which is another reason to refrain from coffee consumption before and after surgery.

Considerations

• Coffee affects the lower esophageal sphincter, preventing the esophagus from closing after swallowing a bite of food. This causes acids in the stomach to come back up into the throat and is commonly known as heartburn.

Expert Insight

• As of March 2010, studies linking coffee consumption with cancer are conflicting and inconclusive. However, studies suggest a higher incidence of cancers of the pancreas, ovaries, bladder and kidneys in coffee drinkers.

Considerations

• Although many people with advanced liver disease develop esophageal varices, less than half experience bleeding.