Achalasia is a rare condition characterized by disturbed oesophageal motility. Therapeutic control of symptoms is difficult to achieve, and no curative approach is available. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) is the treatment of choice for achalasia. We describe our experience in paediatric patients with achalasia treated at a tertiary paediatric surgery center.

A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted in paediatric patients diagnosed with achalasia in a tertiary paediatric surgery center from 2005 to 2022.

Sixteen patients with achalasia were selected; 13 were males (81.2%) and the mean age was 11.6(±2.16) years. The most common presentation of the disease was solid dysphagia (93.8%). Timed esophagogram was performed in 15 patients (93.8%), manometry was conducted in 12 patients (75%) and all patients were submitted to upper endoscopy. All patients were submitted to LHM with Dor fundoplicature. All patients had postoperative relief of symptoms in the immediate postoperative period. The median postoperative follow-up time was 4 (0.6-11) years. Two patients (12.5%) needed endoscopic dilatation due to relapsed symptoms. Three patients (18.8%) suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). No patient needed re-operation for achalasia.

LHM is safe and effective in the symptomatic relief of achalasia in paediatric patients. Nonetheless, there is no proved curative treatment for achalasia. Close follow-up is essential for disease control in the long term.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Achalasia has several treatment modalities. We aim to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) with those of pneumatic dilatation (PD) in adult patients suffering from achalasia.

We searched Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Embase for related clinical trials about patients suffering from achalasia. The quality appraisal and assessment of risk of bias were conducted with GRADE and Cochrane's risk of bias tool, respectively. Homogeneous and heterogeneous data was analyzed under fixed and random-effects models, respectively.

The pooled analysis of 10 studies showed that PD was associated with a higher rate of remission at three months, one year, three years and five years (RR = 1.25 [1.09, 1.42] (p = 0.001); RR = 1.13 [1.05, 1.20] (p = 0.0004); RR = 1.48 [1.19, 1.82] (p = 0.0003); RR = 1.49 [1.18, 1.89] (p = 0.001)), respectively. LHM was associated with lower number of cases suffering from adverse events, dysphagia and relapses (RR = 0.50 [0.25, 0.98] (p = 0.04); RR = 0.33 [0.16, 0.71] (p = 0.004); RR = 0.38 [0.15, 0.97] (p = 0.04)), respectively. There is no significant difference between both groups regarding the lower esophageal pressure, perforations, remission rate at two years, Eckardt score after one year and reflux.

PD had higher remission rates than LHM at three months, one year and three years, but not at two years or five years. More research is needed to determine whether PD has a significant advantage over LHM in terms of long-term remission rates.

Achalasia is a rare neurodegenerative esophageal motility disorder characterized by incomplete lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation, increased LES tone and absence of esophageal peristalsis. Achalasia requires invasive treatment in all patients. Conventional treatment options include endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) and laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM). Recently, a less invasive endoscopic therapy has been developed; Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM). POEM integrates the theoretical advantages of both EBD and LHM (no skin incisions, less pain, short hospital stay, less blood loss and a durable myotomy). Our aim is to compare efficacy and safety of POEM vs. EBD as primary treatment for achalasia in children.

This multi-center, and center-stratified block-randomized controlled trial will assess safety and efficacy of POEM vs EBD. Primary outcome measure is the need for retreatment due to treatment failure (i.e. persisting symptoms (Eckardt score > 3) with evidence of recurrence on barium swallow and/or HRM within 12 months follow-up) as assed by a blinded end-point committee (PROBE design).

This RCT will be the first one to evaluate which endoscopic therapy is most effective and safe for treatment of naïve pediatric patients with achalasia.

High-resolution manometry, Chicago Classification v4.0, the functional lumen imaging probe, Panometry, and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are all now integral parts of the landscape for managing achalasia or, more precisely, achalasia-like syndromes. This narrative review examines the impact of these innovations on the management of achalasia-like syndromes. High-resolution manometry was the disruptive technology that prompted the paradigm shift to thinking of motility disorders as patterns of obstructive physiology involving the esophagogastric junction and/or the distal esophagus rather than as siloed entities. An early observation was that the cardinal feature of achalasia-impaired lower esophageal sphincter relaxation-can occur in several subtypes: without peristalsis, with pan-esophageal pressurization, with premature (spastic) distal esophageal contractions, or even with preserved peristalsis (esophagogastric junction outlet obstruction). Furthermore, there being no biomarker for achalasia, no manometric pattern is perfectly sensitive or specific for 'achalasia' and there is also no 'gold standard' for the diagnosis. Consequently, complimentary physiological testing with a timed barium esophagram or functional lumen imaging probe are employed both to improve the detection of patients likely to respond to treatments for 'achalasia' and to characterize other syndromes also likely to benefit from achalasia therapies. These findings have become particularly relevant with the development of a minimally invasive technique for performing a tailored esophageal myotomy, POEM. Now and in the future, optimal achalasia management is to render treatment in a phenotype-specific manner, that is, POEM calibrated in a patient-specific manner for obstructive physiology including the distal esophagus and more conservative strategies such as a short POEM or pneumatic dilation for obstructive physiology limited to the lower esophageal sphincter.

Achalasia is an esophageal motor disorder characterized by impaired relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and absent peristalsis in the smooth muscle esophageal body. As a result, patients typically experience dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pain, and weight loss. Over the past 10-15 years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the evaluation of therapies for achalasia. Unfortunately, little progress in the development of effective pharmacological treatments has been made. Botulinum toxin injection provides some relief of symptoms in many patients but requires periodic reinjection that may provide progressively less benefit over time. There are now three well-established, safe, and effective therapies for the treatment of achalasia: pneumatic dilation (PD), laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) which can lead to marked symptom improvement in most patients. Each treatment has a specific constellation of risks, benefits, and recurrence rate. The first-line treatment used will depend on patient preference, achalasia subtype, and local expertise. The recent impressive advances in both the art and science of achalasia therapy are explored with a comprehensive review of the various treatment modalities and comparative controlled clinical trials. In addition, key technical pearls of the procedural treatments are demonstrated.

Achalasia(AC) is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by decreased esophageal motility and impaired relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter(LES). The treatment of achalasia is continuously improved for the development of technology, but each treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages. This article was to compare the efficacy and complication of different treatment on AC. PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for eligible studies. A random-effects model within a Bayesian framework was applied to compare treatment effects as odds ratio (OR) with their corresponding 95% credible interval (CI), also OR was applied to compare complication with 95% CI. The surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) was calculated to make the ranking of the treatments for outcomes. Twenty-seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible. According to SUCRA ranking, anterior peroral endoscopic myotomy (APOEM) (SUCRA = 84.6%) might have the highest probability to be the best treatment for dysphagia remission in AC patients, followed by POEM (SUCRA = 78.4%). For gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) assessment, the corresponding SUCRA values indicated that botulinum toxin(BT) (SUCRA = 18.3%) might have lowest GERD incidence rate and POEM ranked the worst (SUCRA = 69.8%).. APOEM might have the highest probability to be the best therapeutic strategy for dysphagia remission in a short-term of follow-up, but the GERD incidence rate was high. BT injection might have the lowest probability to treat dysphagia, but the risk of GERD was the lowest. In the future, more RCTs with higher qualities are needed to make head-to-head comparison between 2 or more treatments.

Several interventions with variable efficacy are available as first-line therapy for patients with achalasia. We assessed the comparative efficacy of different strategies for management of achalasia, through a network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect treatment comparisons.

We identified six randomized controlled trials in adults with achalasia that compared the efficacy of pneumatic dilation (PD; n = 260), laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM; n = 309), and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM; n = 176). Primary efficacy outcome was 1-year treatment success (patient-reported improvement in symptoms based on validated scores); secondary efficacy outcomes were 2-year treatment success and physiologic improvement; safety outcomes were risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), severe erosive esophagitis, and procedure-related serious adverse events. We performed pairwise and network meta-analysis for all treatments, and used GRADE criteria to appraise quality of evidence.

Low-quality evidence, based primarily on direct evidence, supports the use of POEM (RR [risk ratio], 1.29; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.99-1.69), and LHM (RR, 1.18 [0.96-1.44]) over PD for treatment success at 1 year; no significant difference was observed between LHM and POEM (RR 1.09 [0.86-1.39]). The incidence of severe esophagitis after POEM, LHM, and PD was 5.3%, 3.7%, and 1.5%, respectively. Procedure-related serious adverse event rate after POEM, LHM, and PD was 1.4%, 6.7%, and 4.2%, respectively.

POEM and LHM have comparable efficacy, and may increase treatment success as compared to PD with low confidence in estimates. POEM may have lower rate of serious adverse events compared to LHM and PD, but higher rate of GERD.

Achalasia is a primary motor disorder of the oesophagus characterised by absence of peristalsis and insufficient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation. With new advances and developments in achalasia management, there is an increasing demand for comprehensive evidence-based guidelines to assist clinicians in achalasia patient care.

Guidelines were established by a working group of representatives from United European Gastroenterology, European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology and the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery in accordance with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument. A systematic review of the literature was performed, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Recommendations were voted upon using a nominal group technique.

These guidelines focus on the definition of achalasia, treatment aims, diagnostic tests, medical, endoscopic and surgical therapy, management of treatment failure, follow-up and oesophageal cancer risk.

These multidisciplinary guidelines provide a comprehensive evidence-based framework with recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of adult achalasia patients.

Topical corticosteroids are considered a cornerstone in the treatment of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of using mometasone furoate spray versus placebo on dysphagia and health-related quality of life in these patients.

Consecutive, newly diagnosed adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis were randomized and treated with either 200 micrograms of orally administered topical mometasone furoate or placebo 4 times daily for 8 weeks. Symptoms and quality of life were evaluated using questionnaires including the Watson Dysphagia Scale, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life-Oesophageal Module 18 and the Short Form-36 before and after treatment.

In the intention-to-treat analysis (n = 36) the Watson Dysphagia Scale score after mometasone treatment was reduced by 6.5 (median, p < .01) compared with 0 (median, ns) in the placebo group. The benefit of mometasone over placebo was significant (p < .05). In the per-protocol analysis (n = 33) the Watson Dysphagia Scale score was reduced by 5 (median, p = .01) after mometasone treatment compared with 0 (median, ns) in the placebo group. The advantage of mometasone over the placebo was significant (p < .05). The benefit of using mometasoneas evaluated by the two quality of life questionnaires was, however, insignificant.

Our finding suggests that in adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, topical mometasone furoate exerts a beneficial effect compared with placebo regarding the main symptom, i.e., dysphagia. A corresponding benefit could not be verified regarding the various quality of life measurements.

Mometasone-furoate for Treatment of Eosinophilic Esophagitis - a Randomized Placebo Controlled Study ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT02113267).

Achalasia is a debilitating primary esophageal motility disorder. Heller myotomy (HM) is a first-line therapy for the treatment of achalasia patients who have failed other modalities. Other indications for HM include diverticulum, diffuse esophageal spasm, and esophageal strictures. However, long-term outcomes of HM are unclear. This study aims to assess incidence of reintervention, either endoscopically or through minimally invasive or resectional procedures, in patients who underwent HM in New York State.

The Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) administrative longitudinal database identified 1817 adult patients who underwent HM between 2000 and 2008 for achalasia, esophageal diverticulum, diffuse esophageal spasm, and esophageal strictures, based on ICD-9 and CPT codes. Through the use of unique identifiers, patients requiring reintervention were tracked up to 2016 (for at least 8 years follow-up). Primary outcome was incidence of subsequent procedures following HM. Secondary outcomes were time to reintervention and risk factors for reintervention.

Of the 1817 patients who underwent HM, 320 (17.6%) required subsequent intervention. Of the 320 patients, 234 (73.1%) underwent endoscopic reinterventions, 54 (16.9%) underwent minimally invasive procedures, and 32 (10%) underwent resectional procedures as their initial revisional intervention. Of the 234 patients who underwent endoscopic reintervention as their initial revisional procedure, only 40 (16.8%) required subsequent surgical procedures. Over a mean follow-up of 7.0 years, the mean time to a subsequent procedure was 4.3 ± 3.74 years. Reintervention rates after 10 years following HM for achalasia, diverticulum ,and other indication were 24.4%, 12.6%, and 37%, respectively.

The majority of HM reinterventions were managed solely by endoscopic procedures (60.6%). Heller myotomy remains an excellent procedure to prevent surgical reintervention for achalasia and diverticulum.

Few studies have reported the long-term results of minimally invasive Heller myotomy (HM) for the treatment of achalasia. Herein, we detail our 17-year experience with HM for the treatment of achalasia from a tertiary referral center.

All patients undergoing elective HM at our institution from 2000 to 2017 were identified within a prospective institutional database. These patients were sent mail and electronic surveys to capture their symptoms of dysphagia, chest pain, and regurgitation pre- and postoperatively and were asked to evaluate their postoperative gastrointestinal quality of life. Responses from adult patients who underwent minimally invasive Heller myotomy with partial posterior (i.e., Toupet) fundoplication (HM-TF) were analyzed.

294 patients were eligible for study inclusion; 139 (47%) completed our survey. Median time from HM-TF to survey response was 5.6 years. A majority of patients reported improvement in their dysphagia (91%), chest pain (70%), and regurgitation (87%) symptoms. Patients who underwent HM-TF more than 5 years ago were most likely to report heartburn symptoms. One (1%) patient went on to require esophagectomy for ongoing dysphagia and one (1%) patient required revisional fundoplication for their heartburn symptoms.

Minimally invasive Heller myotomy and posterior partial fundoplication is a durable treatment for achalasia over the long term. Additional prospective and multi-institutional studies are needed to validate our results.

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by aberrant peristalsis and insufficient relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Patients most commonly present with dysphagia to solids and liquids, regurgitation, and occasional chest pain with or without weight loss. High-resolution manometry has identified 3 subtypes of achalasia distinguished by pressurization and contraction patterns. Endoscopic findings of retained saliva with puckering of the gastroesophageal junction or esophagram findings of a dilated esophagus with bird beaking are important diagnostic clues. In this American College of Gastroenterology guideline, we used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation process to provide clinical guidance on how best to diagnose and treat patients with achalasia.

Esophageal achalasia is a primary motility disorder characterized by insufficient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and loss of esophageal peristalsis. Achalasia is a chronic disease that causes progressive irreversible loss of esophageal motor function. The recent development of high-resolution manometry has facilitated the diagnosis of achalasia, and determining the achalasia subtypes based on high-resolution manometry can be important when deciding on treatment methods. Peroral endoscopic myotomy is less invasive than surgery with comparable efficacy. The present guidelines (the "2019 Seoul Consensus on Esophageal Achalasia Guidelines") were developed based on evidence-based medicine; the Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association and Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility served as the operating and development committees, respectively. The development of the guidelines began in June 2018, and a draft consensus based on the Delphi process was achieved in April 2019. The guidelines consist of 18 recommendations: 2 pertaining to the definition and epidemiology of achalasia, 6 pertaining to diagnoses, and 10 pertaining to treatments. The endoscopic treatment section is based on the latest evidence from meta-analyses. Clinicians (including gastroenterologists, upper gastrointestinal tract surgeons, general physicians, nurses, and other hospital workers) and patients could use these guidelines to make an informed decision on the management of achalasia.

The advent of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) shed some light on the role of the current standards in the treatment of idiopathic achalasia, namely endoscopic pneumatic dilatation (PD) and laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM). We analyzed the quality of the current evidence comparing LHM and PD.

A systematic literature search was performed in Pubmed/Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Cochrane for meta-analyses/systematic reviews comparing PD and LHM or open surgery, limited to English language full-text articles. After a detailed review of these meta-analyses, all studies included were analyzed further in depth with respect to treatment protocol, assessment of success, complications and sequelae such as gastroesophageal reflux (GER), as well as follow-up details.

Six randomized controlled trials (RCT), 5 with LHM and 1 with open surgery, were found, published in 10 papers. In contrast to a rather homogeneous LHM technique, PD regimens as well as the clinical dysphagia scores were different in every RCT; most RCTs also showed methodological limitations. There were nine meta-analyses which included a variable number of these RCTs or other cohort studies. Meta-analyses between 2009 and 2013 favored surgery, while the 4 most recent ones reached divergent conclusions. The main difference might have been whether repeated dilatation was regarded as part of the PD protocol or as failure.

The variability in PD techniques and in definition of clinical success utilized in the achalasia RCTs on PD versus LHM render the conclusions of meta-analyses unreliable. Further randomized studies should be based on uniform criteria; in the meantime, publication of even more meta-analyses should be avoided.

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motor disorder of unknown etiology characterized by degeneration of the myenteric plexus, which results in impaired relaxation of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), along with the loss of organized peristalsis in the esophageal body. The criterion standard for diagnosing achalasia is high-resolution esophageal manometry showing incomplete relaxation of the EGJ coupled with the absence of organized peristalsis. Three achalasia subtypes have been defined based on high-resolution manometry findings in the esophageal body. Treatment of patients with achalasia has evolved in recent years with the introduction of peroral endoscopic myotomy. Other treatment options include botulinum toxin injection, pneumatic dilation, and Heller myotomy. This American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Standards of Practice Guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of achalasia, based on an updated assessment of the individual and comparative effectiveness, adverse effects, and cost of the 4 aforementioned achalasia therapies.

To systematically review clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapy of achalasia, focusing on recent developments in high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) for diagnosis and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for therapy.

Systematic review of achalasia using computerized literature search via PubMed and Ovid of articles published since 2005 with keywords ("achalasia") AND ("high resolution" or "HREM" or "peroral endoscopic myotomy" or "POEM"). Two authors independently performed literature searches and incorporated articles into this review by consensus according to prospectively determined criteria.

Achalasia is an uncommon esophageal motility disorder, usually manifested by dysphagia to solids and liquids, and sometimes manifested by chest pain, regurgitation, and weight loss. Symptoms often suggest more common disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), thus often delaying diagnosis. Achalasia is a predominantly idiopathic chronic disease. Diagnosis is typically suggested by barium swallow showing esophageal dilation; absent distal esophageal peristalsis; smoothly tapered narrowing ("bird's beak") at esophagogastric junction; and delayed passage of contrast into stomach. Diagnostic findings at high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) include: distal esophageal aperistalsis and integrated relaxation pressure (trough LES pressure during 4 s) > 15 mmHg. Achalasia is classified by HREM into: type 1 classic; type 2 compartmentalized high pressure in esophageal body, and type 3 spastic. This classification impacts therapeutic decisions. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is required before therapy to assess esophagus and esophagogastric junction and to exclude distal esophageal malignancy. POEM is a revolutionizing achalasia therapy. POEM creates a myotomy via interventional endoscopy. Numerous studies demonstrate that POEM produces comparable, if not superior, results compared to standard laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), as determined by LES pressure, dysphagia frequency, Eckardt score, hospital length of stay, therapy durability, and incidence of GERD. Other therapies, including botulinum toxin injection and pneumatic dilation, have moderately less efficacy and much less durability than POEM.

This comprehensive review suggests that POEM is equivalent or perhaps superior to LHM for achalasia in terms of cost efficiency, hospital length of stay, and relief of dysphagia, with comparable side effects. The data are, however, not conclusive due to sparse long-term follow-up and lack of randomized comparative clinical trials. POEM therapy is currently limited by a shortage of trained endoscopists.

The aim of the study was to validate the Watson scale, the Ogilvie scale, and the Goldschmid scale for assessment of dysphagia due to malignancy of the esophagus. After translation of the scales to Swedish, 35 patients with dysphagia due to esophageal malignancy were asked to participate. On day 1, patients were asked to fill in the questionnaires. The patients also kept a food diary for 4 consecutive days, for assessment of actual swallowing ability. On day 10, the patients were asked to fill in the scales again, to control for individual variability. As an external control group, 29 healthy volunteers were asked to fill in the questionnaires once. External validation was done against actual swallowing ability, and against the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer scales QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OG25, which are already validated quality of life scales for malignancy. Reliability in the categorical variables (Ogilvie and Goldschmid) showed weighted kappa values of 0.52 and 0.54, respectively. For the Watson scale and the Dysphagia module of QLQ-OG25, the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.68 and 0.80, respectively. Correlations between all scales were good to excellent with values of correlation coefficients (rs) between 0.69 and 0.88, with the strongest correlations between the Ogilvie score and the dysphagia module in QLQ-OG25. These latter two scales had the strongest correlation to the food diary (rs = 0.72). Although the Ogilvie scale was superior, all the three scales showed good reliability and are thus judged to have good validity for assessment of dysphagia due to esophageal malignancy.

Pneumatic dilation (PD) is often billed as a "short term" treatment for achalasia but anecdotally can last years. This study sought to explore how long a single pneumatic dilation may induce symptom remission in a treatment-naïve achalasia patient.

A single center, retrospective chart review of patients with an ICD-9 or - 10 code of achalasia between 2005 and 2017 was performed. Treatment naïve patients with manometric diagnosis of primary achalasia were included. Outcomes (success or failure); single vs multiple PD; age; and estimated duration of effect were evaluated. Each patient underwent a single PD unless re-intervention was required for relapse.

83 patients (52% female, median 51.6 ± 3.6 years) were included. 43% underwent 2 PD and 13% underwent 3 PD. There was no significant relation between age, gender, and number of PDs. After 1 PD, 87.5% of patients reported > 1 year of symptom remission. 80.5% of relapsed patients reported success after a 2nd dilation. 1 PD was more likely to result in success than multiple PDs (p < 0.001). The measured median duration of remission after 1 PD was 4.23 years, and for 2 PDs, 3.71 years. The median estimated remission time after 1 PD was 8.5 years (CI 7.3-9.7, p = 0.03).

PD is a safe, durable treatment for achalasia. A single PD is likely to last years. A second PD, if required, also has a high likelihood of success.

Background: Laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), pneumatic dilatation (PD), and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are common treatments for esophageal achalasia. Literature evidence is restricted to pairwise analysis and PD versus POEM comparison is missing. The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to comprehensively compare outcomes within these three surgical approaches with those of esophageal achalasia. Materials and Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were consulted. A systematic review and a fully Bayesian study level arm-based random effect NMA were performed. Results: Nineteen studies (14 observational and 5 randomized controlled trial) and 4407 patients were included. Overall, 50.4% underwent LHM, 42.8% PD, and 6.8% POEM. The postoperative dysphagia remission was statistically significantly improved in POEM compared with LHM and PD (risk ratio [RR] = 1.21; 95% credible intervals [CIs] = 1.04-1.47 and RR = 1.40; 95% CIs = 1.14-1.79, respectively). Postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) rate was higher in POEM than in LHM and PD (RR = 1.75; 95% CIs = 1.35-2.03 and RR = 1.36; 95% CIs = 1.18-1.68, respectively). Postoperative Eckardt score was significantly lower in POEM than in LHM and PD (standardized mean difference (smd) = -0.6; 95% CIs = -1.4 to -0.2 and smd = -1.2; 95% CIs = -2.3 to -0.2, respectively). No statistically significant differences were found comparing LHM and PD in any of the analyzed outcomes. Conclusions: In the short-term follow-up, POEM seems to be associated with better dysphagia improvement and higher postoperative GERD than LHM and PD. The choice of the ideal initial management should be left to multidisciplinary team discussion and personalized on each patient basis.

The purpose of this review is to discuss the efficacy, morbidity and side-effects of innovative management strategies for achalasia that include high-resolution manometry (HRM), pneumatic dilatation, laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM), injection of botulinum toxin into the lower esophageal sphincter and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).

HRM has enabled identification of achalasia subtypes that have important prognostic implications. Pneumatic dilatation is a commonly-used and cost-effective method of treating achalasia but has shown poor longevity of symptom relief compared with other modalities and carries a risk of esophageal perforation. LHM is often the preferred, most effective treatment modality, however new studies may show that outcomes are equivalent or even inferior to POEM. Botulinum toxin injection of the lower esophageal sphincter has a waning and short duration of efficacy and is used primarily for patients unsuitable for more definitive invasive procedures. POEM is considered the most effective treatment for type III achalasia but carries a high risk of iatrogenic gastroesophageal reflux disease that might predispose to the development of Barrett's esophagus.

HRM and POEM are two major innovations in the management of achalasia developed over the past decade. There are now three major management options for patients with achalasia, namely pneumatic dilatation, LHM and POEM. Treatment selection should be tailored to the patient's individual esophageal physiology, physical fitness and dominant symptoms.

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motor disorder with a variety of causes. It is most common in Central and South America, where Chagas disease is endemic. In addition to the infectious etiology, achalasia can be idiopathic, autoimmune, or drug induced. It is an incurable, progressive condition that destroys the intramural nerve plexus, causing aperistalsis of the esophageal body and impaired relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The literature on the treatment of achalasia comparing pneumatic dilation (PD) and laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM) shows conflicting results. Therefore, a systemic review and meta-analysis are needed. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of PD and LHM, based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses recommendations, was presented. The primary outcome was symptom remission based on the Eckardt score. Secondary outcomes were lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and perforation. A total of four studies were included in this analysis. The total number of patients was 404. Posttreatment symptom remission rates did not differ significantly between LHM and PD at 2 years (RD = 0.03, 95% CI [-0.05, 0.12], P = 0.62), or 5 years (RD = 0.13, 95% CI [-0.12, 0.39], P = 0.32). The posttreatment perforation rate was lower for LHM (RD = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.08, -0.01], P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in terms of LESP or GER. For the treatment of esophageal achalasia, LHM and PD were found to be similar in terms of their long-term efficacy, as well as in terms of the posttreatment GER rates. However, the perforation rate appears to be lower when LHM is employed.

Achalasia is a primary motility disorder of the esophagus characterized by aperistalsis and failure of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation. Treatment of achalasia aims at reducing LES pressure. The common treatment modalities are laparoscopic Heller myotomy and pneumatic dilatation, but during the last decade, a promising treatment, per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), has been introduced. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to assess the outcome of POEM in treatment-naive patients.

A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed using the terms 'Achalasia AND (POEM OR peroral endoscopic myotomy OR per-oral endoscopic myotomy)'. Inclusion criteria were: original article; English language; n ≥ 20 with ≥90% treatment-naive patients; follow-up ≥3 months; and outcome evaluation of POEM including symptom score and objective tests. Exclusion criteria were: reviews and meta-analyses; pediatric data; duplicates; and articles with overlapping data material.

Of the 1641 articles identified, seven were included. The included studies all reported a short-term clinical success of >90%. Clinical success including post-POEM reflux was mainly estimated by symptom scorings. There were few procedure-related complications.

The studies of treatment-naive patients indicate a high rate of clinical success. Nevertheless, a more systematic and standardized evaluation is recommended to improve the reports on outcome of POEM. The follow-up rate should be high and the evaluation protocol should include both symptom scoring and objective testing with predefined treatment goals.

Achalasia is a relatively rare primary motor esophageal disorder, characterized by absence of relaxations of the lower esophageal sphincter and of peristalsis along the esophageal body. As a result, patients typically present with dysphagia, regurgitation and occasionally chest pain, pulmonary complication and malnutrition. New diagnostic methodologies and therapeutic techniques have been recently added to the armamentarium for treating achalasia. With the aim to offer clinicians and patients an up-to-date framework for making informed decisions on the management of this disease, the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus Guidelines proposed and endorsed the Esophageal Achalasia Guidelines (I-GOAL). The guidelines were prepared according the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE-REX) tool, accredited for guideline production by NICE UK. A systematic literature search was performed and the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations were graded according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Given the relative rarity of this disease and the paucity of high-level evidence in the literature, this process was integrated with a three-step process of anonymous voting on each statement (DELPHI). Only statements with an approval rate >80% were accepted in the guidelines. Fifty-one experts from 11 countries and 3 representatives from patient support associations participated to the preparations of the guidelines. These guidelines deal specifically with the following achalasia issues: Diagnostic workup, Definition of the disease, Severity of presentation, Medical treatment, Botulinum Toxin injection, Pneumatic dilatation, POEM, Other endoscopic treatments, Laparoscopic myotomy, Definition of recurrence, Follow up and risk of cancer, Management of end stage achalasia, Treatment options for failure, Achalasia in children, Achalasia secondary to Chagas' disease.

Esophageal achalasia is an uncommon condition in children. Although many interventions exist for the management of this disorder, esophageal (Heller) myotomy offers one of the most durable treatments. Our institution sought to review patients undergoing Heller myotomy concentrating on preoperative clinical factors that might predict postoperative outcomes.

All patients from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016, who underwent surgical treatment for achalasia at our tertiary pediatric hospital were identified and included in the study cohort. Electronic medical records for these patients were reviewed for clinical presentation variables, nonsurgical preoperative treatment, surgical approach, clinical response to surgery, need for postoperative treatment for ongoing symptoms, and high-resolution manometry (HRM) data.

Twenty-six patients were included in the study, and all underwent myotomy with partial fundoplication (median age: 14.4 y [interquartile range 11.6-15.5]). At a median follow-up of 9.75 mo (interquartile range 3.5-21 mo), 16 (61.5%) patients reported good resolution of their dysphagia symptoms with surgery alone. Two patients (7.7%) had perforation of the gastrointestinal tract requiring surgical intervention. Eight patients (30.8%) required additional treatment for achalasia, with 5 (19.2%) of these undergoing additional surgery or endoscopic treatment. Patients who had preoperative dilation did not have good resolution of their dysphagia (n = 2; P = 0.037). Two of four patients undergoing postoperative dilation had preoperative dilation. None of these patients underwent preoperative manometry. There was a statistically significant difference in the ages of patients who required postoperative intervention and those who did not (14.1 versus 15.2 y old, respectively; P = 0.043). In patients who reported improvement of gastroesophageal reflux disease/reflux type symptoms after Heller myotomy, lower esophageal residual pressure (29.1 versus 18.7 mmHg; P = 0.018) on preoperative HRM was significantly higher than in those who did not report improvement after surgery. Higher upper esophageal mean pressure (66.6 versus 47.8 mmHg; P = 0.05) also predicted good gastroesophageal reflux disease/reflux symptom response in a similar manner.

Current analysis suggests that preoperative dilation should be used cautiously and older patients may have a better response to surgery without need for postoperative treatment. In addition, preoperative HRM can aid in counseling patients in the risk of ongoing symptoms after surgery and may aid in determining if a fundoplication should be completed at the index procedure. Further research is needed to delineate these factors.

Level III.

Forced pneumatic dilatation (PD) of the cardia is one of the most consecrated therapeutic measures for esophageal achalasia. The procedure only achieved better standardization with the appearance of the Rigiflex balloon. Results and predictive factors of success and failure of PD are reviewed, right after the description of the main technical aspects of the procedure. The success rates, providing control of dysphagia for about 1 year from the procedure using the Rigiflex balloon, are quite satisfactory, with success in more than 75% of patients. It is generally observed that good responses sustained for more than 5 years appear in at least 40% of cases. However, approximately half of the patients submitted to PD require additional dilation and a subgroup of them will undergo surgical treatment to attain adequate control of dysphagia. PD is a method with a low rate of acute complications, with esophageal perforation, the most severe of them, not affecting more than 5% of the cases. The best results could be potentially obtained when predictive factors of success were considered before choosing PD as a therapeutic option, but prospective studies in this field are missing until now.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) represents a less invasive alternative to conventional laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM) for patients with achalasia. It cannot be excluded, however, that the lack of fundoplication after POEM may result in a higher incidence of reflux disease, as compared with LHM. The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review of prospective studies reporting the incidence of reflux disease developed after POEM and LHM.

A literature search with electronic databases was performed (up to February 2017) to identify full articles on the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and endoscopic monitoring and pH monitoring findings after POEM and LHM (with fundoplication). Proportions and rates were pooled by means of random or fixed-effects models, according to the level of heterogeneity between studies.

After we applied the selection criteria, 17 and 28 studies, including 1542 and 2581 participants who underwent POEM and LHM, respectively, were included. The pooled rate of postprocedural symptoms was 19.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.7%-22.8%) after POEM and 8.8% (95% CI, 5.3%-14.1%) after LHM, respectively. The pooled rate estimate of abnormal acid exposure at pH monitoring was 39.0% (95% CI, 24.5%-55.8%) after POEM and 16.8% (95% CI, 10.2%-26.4%) after LHM, respectively. The rate of esophagitis after POEM was 29.4% (95% CI, 18.5%-43.3%) after POEM and 7.6% (95% CI, 4.1%-13.7%) after LHM. At meta-regression, heterogeneity was explained partly by the POEM approach and study population.

The incidence of reflux disease appears to be significantly more frequent after POEM than after LHM with fundoplication. Monitoring pH and ensuring appropriate treatment after POEM should be considered in order to prevent long-term reflux-related adverse events.

Achalasia is a rare disorder that has several treatment options. The gold standard of treatment is a surgical myotomy called a laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM). More recently, an endoscopic myotomy has become an option as well, called per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). An achalasia registry was queried for patients undergoing either LHM or POEM at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Patient demographics, preoperative and postoperative data points, and Eckardt scores were collected. The patients were further stratified into their follow-up intervals, immediate postoperative and long-term follow-up, to assess surgical success. A subset analysis was done for success of treatment for patients who had redo surgery versus those undergoing the procedure for the first time. There were 12 patients in the POEM group and 11 patients in the LHM group. Both groups demonstrated mean lower esophageal sphincter pressures with failure to relax. Procedure length and hospital length of stay were similar between the two groups. There were three adverse events in each group, but none altered the patient's postoperative clinical course. Eckardt scores, used to assess success of the surgery, were 82% for POEM patients and 66% for LHM patients after 6 months. The outcomes for POEM and LHM in our early experience are similar to those reported in the literature for high-volume centers managing achalasia.

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motility disorder of unknown etiology associated with abnormalities in peristalsis and lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. The disease is incurable; however, definitive treatment procedures like pneumatic dilation (PD)/balloon dilation and laparoscopic esophageal myotomy (LEM) are performed to relieve dysphagia and related symptoms. Currently, there is paucity of data comparing the outcomes of these procedures. The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the short- and long-term success rates of PD and LEM.

A thorough systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane library was conducted for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the outcomes of PD versus LEM in the treatment of achalasia. The Mantel-Haenszel method and random effect model were used to analyze the data. RCTs with outcome data at 3-month, 1-year, and 5-year intervals were analyzed.

A total of 437,378 and 254 patients at 3-month, 1-year, and 5-year intervals were analyzed for outcome data. At 3 months and 1 year, PD was not as effective as LEM (odds ratio [OR]: 0.50; confidence interval [CI] 0.31-0.82; P = 0.009 and OR: 0.47; CI 0.22-0.99; P = 0.21) but at 5 years, one procedure was non-inferior to the other (OR: 0.62; 0.33-1.19; P = 0.34).

PD was as effective as LEM in relieving symptoms of achalasia in the long-term.

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder, of unknown cause, which results in increased lower esophageal sphincter tone and symptoms of difficulty swallowing. Current major therapeutic options include laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) and pneumatic dilation (PD). We undertake a systematic review comparing the efficacy and safety of these 2 treatments in the treatment of esophageal achalasia.

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized controlled trial investigating LHM versus PD in the treatment of primary achalasia. The primary outcome was symptom remission rates. The Mantel-Haenszel method with fixed-effect or random-effects model was used to calculate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Five studies involving 498 participants were included. The cumulative remission rate was significantly higher with LHM at 3 months and 1 year (short-term), with a risk ratio of 1.16 (95% CI 1.01-1.35, P = 0.04) and 1.14 (95% CI 1.02-1.27, P = 0.02), respectively. There were no significant differences between LHM and PD in 2-year and 5-year remission rate (long-term), with a risk ratio of 1.05 (95% CI 0.91-1.22, P = 0.49) and 1.17 (95% CI 0.84-1.64, P = 0.34), respectively. Rates of major mucosal tears requiring subsequent intervention with LHM were significantly lower than those of esophageal perforation with PD requiring postprocedural medical or surgical therapy, with a risk ratio of 0.25 (95% CI 0.08-0.81, P = 0.02). Postprocedural rates of gastroesophageal reflux, lower esophageal sphincter pressures, and quality of life scores did not differ in trials with sufficient data.

There were no significant differences between LHM and PD in 2-year and 5-year remission rate. This study indicates that either treatment can be proposed as initial treatment for achalasia.

Long-term health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) outcomes have not been widely reported in the treatment of achalasia. The aims of this study were to examine long-term disease-specific and general HRQL in achalasia patients using a population-based case-control method, and to assess HRQL between treatment interventions. Manometrically diagnosed achalasia cases (n = 120) were identified and matched with controls (n = 115) using a population-based approach. Participants completed general (SF-12) and disease-specific (Achalasia Severity Questionnaire [ASQ]) HRQL questionnaires, as appropriate, in a structured interview. Mean composite scores for SF-12 (Mental Component Summary score [MCS-12] and Physical Component Summary score [PCS-12]) and ASQ were compared between cases and controls, or between intervention groups, using an independent t-test. Adjusted mean differences in HRQL scores were evaluated using a linear regression model. Achalasia cases were treated with a Heller's myotomy (n = 43), pneumatic dilatation (n = 44), or both modalities (n = 33). The median time from last treatment to HRQL assessment was 5.7 years (interquartile range 2.4-11.5). Comparing achalasia patients with controls, PCS-12 was significantly worse (40.9 vs. 44.2, P = 0.01), but MCS-12 was similar. However, both PCS-12 (39.9 vs. 44.2, P = 0.03) and MCS-12 (46.7 vs. 53.5, P = 0.004) were significantly impaired in those requiring dual treatment compared with controls. Overall however, there was no difference in adjusted HRQL between patients treated with Heller's myotomy, pneumatic dilatation or both treatment modalities. In summary, despite treatment achalasia patients have significantly worse long-term physical HRQL compared with population controls. No HRQL differences were observed between the treatment modalities to suggest a benefit of one treatment over another.

The aim of this study was to assess whether the symptom severity and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with dysphagia and esophageal eosinophilia correlate with disease activity as expressed by the number of eosinophils in the esophageal mucosa. This study included newly diagnosed (n = 58) or relapsed patients (n = 7), where 40% were diagnosed in connection with esophageal bolus impaction. The mean age was 45 years (19-88), and 74% were men. Symptoms and HRQL were recorded using the Watson Dysphagia Scale (WDS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Oesophageal Module 18 and the Short Form-36 Questionnaire. Histological samples gathered from the proximal and distal esophageal mucosa were stained using both hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and an immunohistochemical (IHC) technique against 'Eosinophil Major Basic Protein,' and the peak number of eosinophils per high-power field was assessed. More eosinophils were detected after IHC staining than HE staining (P < 0.001). No correlation was found between symptoms or the HRQL and the number of eosinophils. However, higher numbers of eosinophils at the proximal esophagus were found in patients with concomitant bolus impaction (IHC P < 0.05 and HE P < 0.05) and could serve as a risk marker.

Achalasia is a chronic, progressive, and incurable esophageal motility disease. There is clinical uncertainty about which treatment should be recommended as first-line therapy. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of pneumatic dilation compared with laparoscopic Heller myotomy with partial fundoplication in improving achalasia-specific quality of life.

This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial at five academic hospitals in Canada. Fifty previously untreated adults with a clinical diagnosis of primary achalasia, confirmed by manometric testing, were enrolled between November 2005 and March 2010, and followed for 5 years after treatment. Randomization was stratified by site, in random blocks of size four and with balanced allocation. Patients were treated with pneumatic dilation or laparoscopic Heller myotomy with partial fundoplication. The primary outcome was the difference between the treatments in the mean improvement of the achalasia severity questionnaire (ASQ) score at 1 year from baseline. Prespecified secondary outcomes included general and gastrointestinal quality of life, symptoms, esophageal physiology measures (lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and pressure, esophageal emptying, abnormal esophageal acid exposure), complications, and incidence of retreatment. Functional and imaging studies were performed blinded and all outcome assessors were blinded.

There were no significant differences between treatments in the improvement of ASQ score at 1 year from baseline (27.5 points in the Heller myotomy arm vs. 20.2 points in the pneumatic dilation arm; difference 7.3 points, 95% confidence interval -4.7 to 19.3; P=0.23). There were no differences between treatments in improvement of symptoms, general and gastrointestinal quality of life, or measures of esophageal physiology. Improvements in ASQ score diminished over time for both interventions. At 5 years, there were no differences between treatments in improvement of ASQ score, symptoms, and general or gastrointestinal quality of life. There were no serious adverse events. No patient who received Heller myotomy required retreatment, whereas five patients treated initially with pneumatic dilation required retreatment.

Treatment with pneumatic dilation or laparoscopic Heller myotomy similarly improves achalasia-specific disease severity at 1 year. Either of the therapeutic approaches can be used as first-line therapy for previously untreated adults with achalasia.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a novel intervention for the treatment of achalasia, which combines the advantages of endoscopic access and myotomy. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the efficacy and safety of POEM.

The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid MEDLINE (R) including in-process and non-indexed citations were searched for POEM studies using the keywords: esophageal achalasia, POEM, endoscopy, natural orifice surgery, laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), and related terms. Eckardt score, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, and reported complications were the main outcomes. Two authors reviewed the search result independently. A third reviewer resolved all disagreements. Data abstraction was pilot-tested and approved by all authors. Data were examined for clinical, methodological, and statistical heterogeneity with the aim of determining whether evidence synthesis using meta- analysis was possible.

The search strategy retrieved 2894 citations. After removing duplicates and applying the exclusion criteria, 54 studies were selected for full-text review of which a total of 19 studies were considered eligible for further analysis. There were 10 retrospective and 9 prospective studies, including 1299 POEM procedures. No randomized control trial (RCT) was identified. Overall, the pre- and post-POEM Eckardt scores and LES pressure were significantly different. The most frequently reported complications were mucosal perforation, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumoperitoneum, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pleural effusion, and pneumonia. The median follow-up was 13 months (range 3-24).

POEM is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of achalasia. However, only short-term follow-up data compared with LHM are available. RCTs and long-term follow-up studies are needed to establish the efficacy and safety of POEM in the management of patients with achalasia.

The treatment options in achalasia patients aim to improve symptoms by reducing the functional obstruction at the level of the gastroesophageal junction. Available treatment modalities are endoscopic botulinum toxin injection (EBTI), pneumatic dilatation (PD), laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). We provide an evidence-based review of current indications, limitations, and future perspectives of these options for the treatment of achalasia.

The PubMed/Medline electronic databases and the Cochrane Library were searched. Quality of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE system.

Functional outcomes after EBTI are significantly worse than those after PD or LHM. LHM with partial fundoplication is associated with low complication rates and provides excellent long-term results with lower need for additional treatment of recurrent dysphagia than PD. POEM is a new promising treatment option with good short-term outcomes and low morbidity in experienced hands.

LHM should be considered the procedure of choice for the treatment of achalasia in patients who are fit for surgery. Large randomized controlled trials with long follow-up are needed to validate the role of POEM.

To date very few studies with small sample size have compared peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) with the current surgical standard of care, laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), in terms of efficacy and safety, and no recommendations have been proposed.To investigate the efficacy and safety of POEM compared with LHM, for the treatment of achalasia.The databases of Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane, and Ovid were systematically searched between January 1, 2005 and January 31, 2015, with the medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords "achalasia," "POEM," "per oral endoscopic myotomy," and "peroral endoscopic myotomy," "laparoscopic Heller myotomy" (LHM), "Heller myotomy."All types of study designs including adult patients with diagnosis of achalasia were selected. Studies that did not report the comparison between endoscopic and surgical treatment, experimental studies in animal models, single case reports, technical reports, reviews, abstracts, and editorials were excluded.The total number of included patients was 486 (196 in POEM group and 290 in LHM group).There were no differences between POEM and LHM in reduction in Eckardt score (MD = -0.659, 95% CI: -1.70 to 0.38, P = 0.217), operative time (MD = -0.354, 95% CI: -1.12 to 0.41, P = 0.36), postoperative pain scores (MD = -1.86, 95% CI: -5.17 to 1.44, P = 0.268), analgesic requirements (MD = -0.74, 95% CI: -2.65 to 1.16, P = 0.445), and complications (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.5-2.44, P = 0.796). Length of hospital stay was significantly lower for POEM (MD = -0.629, 95% CI: -1.256 to -0.002, P = 0.049). There was a trend toward significant reduction in symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux rate in favors of LHM compared to POEM group (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.11-2.95, P = 0.017).All included studied were not randomized. Furthermore all selected studies did not report the results of follow-up longer than 1 year and most of them included patients who were both treatment naive and underwent previous endoscopic or surgical interventions for achalasia.POEM represents a safe and efficacy procedure comparable to the safety profile of LHM for achalasia at a short-term follow-up. Long-term clinical trials are urgently needed.

This study compares the long-term results of pneumatic dilatations versus laparoscopic myotomy using treatment failure as the primary outcome. The frequency and degree of dysphagia, the effects on quality of life (QoL), and health economy were also examined.

Fifty-three patients with achalasia were randomized to laparoscopic myotomy with a posterior partial fundoplication [laparoscopic myotomy (LM) n = 25] or repetitive pneumatic dilatation [pneumatic dilatation (PD) n = 28]. The median observation period was 81.5 months (range 12-131).

At the minimal follow-up of 5 years, ten patients (36%) in the dilatation group and two patients (8%) in the myotomy group, including two patients lost to follow-up (one in each arm), were classified as failures (p = 0.016). The cumulative incidence of treatment failures was analyzed by survival statistics. Taking the entire follow-up period into account, a significant difference was observed in favor of the LM strategy (p = 0.02). Although both treatments resulted in significant improvements in dysphagia scores, LM was significantly favored over PD after 1 and 3 years, but not after 5 years. Health-related QoL assessed by the personal general well being score was higher in the LM group after 3 years, but the difference was not fully statistically significant at 5 years. Direct medical costs during the entire follow-up period were in median $13,421 for LM as compared to $5,558 for PD (p = 0.001).

This long-term follow-up of a randomized clinical study shows that LM is superior to repetitive PD treatment of newly diagnosed achalasia, albeit that this surgical strategy is burdened by high initial direct medical costs. www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT 02086669.

High-resolution manometry enables the categorization of patients with oesophageal dysphagia caused by oesophageal motility disorders into diagnostic categories according to the Chicago Classification. This Review provides an overview of the literature concerning treatment options for patients with dysphagia associated with achalasia, hypercontractile disorders and hypocontractility disorders of the oesophagus. In achalasia, pharmacotherapy and botulinum toxin are less effective than pneumatic dilation or surgical Heller myotomy, which had comparable efficacy in the largest controlled trial to date. Peroral endoscopic myotomy is a novel therapeutic modality that is currently being evaluated in controlled trials versus pneumatic dilation or surgical myotomy. A variety of medical treatments have been evaluated in hypermotility disorders, but only botulinum toxin injection yielded favourable results in a single controlled trial. Few studies have addressed the treatment of dysphagia in patients with oesophageal hypomotility. A variety of prokinetic agents have been studied, but there is no evidence of clinically relevant efficacy from controlled trials.

Reduction in height of barium column in timed barium esophagogram (TBE) and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure on manometry has been used to assess efficacy of pneumatic dilation (PD) in patients with achalasia; data comparing these two methods to assess efficacy of PD are scanty.

Sixty-two patients with achalasia undergoing PD were evaluated clinically (Eckardt's score), high-resolution manometry (HRM), and TBE (films at 1 and 5 min) before and 4 weeks after PD using 30 and 35 mm Rigiflex balloon (Microvasive, Milliford, MA, USA) in female and male patients, respectively. Response was defined clinically as Eckardt's score <3, by manometry as LES pressure <22.5 mmHg, and by TBE as adequate esophageal emptying (reduction in height of barium column by more than 50 % of pretreatment value in 5-min radiograph).

Forty-three out of sixty-two (69 %) patients [age 34 ± 12 years, 36 (58 %) male] responded, and 19 (31 %) did not respond to the first session of PD as assessed by post-PD Eckardt's score. Thirty-eight out of 43 (88 %) responders had adequate esophageal emptying of barium in TBE, while 31/43 (72 %) had LES pressure below 22.5 mmHg on HRM (p = ns). Eight out of 19 (42 %) nonresponders showed failure in esophageal emptying (defined by lack of reduction in height of barium column by 50 %) in TBE, and 11/19 (58 %) had LES pressure >22.5 mmHg (p = ns). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that response on TBE and HRM at 1 month predicted clinical response well during 6 months follow up.

TBE and esophageal HRM were comparable in assessing efficacy of PD in treatment of achalasia.