Wednesday, 7 November 2018

Achalasia Cardia

• Failure of Lower Esophageal Sphincter to relax during swallowing and absence of esophageal peristalsis.
• Affects both LES & smooth muscles of esophagus.

Pathogenesis -
• Due to progressive inflammatory destruction of inhibitory myenteric neurons in Auerback's plexus.

Clinical features -
• Triad - Dysphagia, Regurgitation, and Weight loss.
• Chest pain
• Nocturnal coughing.
Allgrove syndrome - Achalasia, Alacrima & Addison's disease


Diagnosis -
Barium swallow - Bird beak, Pencil tip or Rat tail sign.

• Mecholyl test +ve.
• CCK test +ve.
• Manometry - Gold standard.
Findings - Incomplete LES relaxation, increased resting LES tone, and lack of peristalsis of the esophagus.
• Pressure of LES <26 mm Hg is normal, >100 is considered achalasia, > 200 is nutcracker achalasia.
• Prolonged esophageal pH monitoring to rule out GERD.

Treatment -
• Initial treatment should be pneumatic dilation or laparoscopic surgical myotomy with a partial fundoplication.

• Botox - Botulinum toxin therapy is recommended for patients not suited to PD or surgery.
Limited success rate & high reoccurence.

• Medical therapy - Subligual Nitroglycerine, Nitrates, CCB. (used primarily in elderly patients who have contraindications to either pneumatic dilatation or surgery or in case of failed botox therapy)

Lap Heller Myotomy with partial anterior fundoplication - Surgery of choice.
• Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) - 50% show gerd
• Toupet or Dor fundoplication (to prevent GERD)

Important - In current practice, a partial anterior fundoplication is more frequently performed since it is simpler to perform and covers the exposed esophageal mucosa.

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