"There's really not much to say. I just looked at the patient's pre-operative images and the barium swallow test. I estimate you performed a total gastrectomy on her."
Zhou Can explained with a smile.
The barium swallow test checks the esophageal cardia and digestive tract, typically by having the patient ingest barium, commonly referred to in medical terms as a barium meal.
Some patients are very concerned when consuming it, but there's no need to worry, it's generally harmless.
The barium meal used for digestive tract exams is a suspension of medicinal barium sulfate, insoluble in water and lipids, so it won't be absorbed by the gastrointestinal mucosa and is generally non-toxic.
If you claim it's completely non-toxic, that's not something that can be guaranteed.
After all, it's a chemical agent.
However, the additives in vegetables, fruits, and various processed foods we eat daily are much more than imagined.
