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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Apr 16, 2014; 6(4): 105-111
Published online Apr 16, 2014. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v6.i4.105
Published online Apr 16, 2014. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v6.i4.105
Childhood achalasia: A comprehensive review of disease, diagnosis and therapeutic management
Ashanti L Franklin, Mikael Petrosyan, Timothy D Kane, Department of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, United States
Author contributions: All authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; all three authors participated substantially in the drafting and revising of the manuscript for intellectual content; and all authors approved the final version to be published.
Correspondence to: Timothy D Kane, MD, Department of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, 111 Michigan Ave NW, United States. tkane@cnmc.org
Telephone: +1-202-4762151 Fax: +1-202-4764174
Received: January 3, 2014
Revised: February 25, 2014
Accepted: March 11, 2014
Published online: April 16, 2014
Revised: February 25, 2014
Accepted: March 11, 2014
Published online: April 16, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Achalasia is a neurodegenerative disorder of the lower esophageal sphincter which occurs less commonly in children compared to adults and patients present with progressive dysphagia, vomiting, and weight loss. Medical therapy including botulinum toxin injection and endoscopic dilatation have been associated with only transient relief of dysphagia symptoms as is also seen in adults. While current evidence also suggests that the surgical approach of laparoscopic Heller myotomy provides lasting benefits for children with achalasia, future prospective evaluation will need to be conducted to ascertain whether peroral endoscopic myotomy is safe and equally effective in children.