The Outcomes and Quality of Life of Patients with Achalasia after Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy in the Short-Term

Purpose: To assess the short-term efficacy and quality of life (QOL) of patients with achalasia after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).Methods: Thirty-five achalasia patients underwent POEM from May 2013 to December 2013. The data on clinical evaluation and QOL before therapy, at 1 month and 6 months postoperation were collected and analyzed.Results: All the thirty-five patients underwent POEM successfully. By comparing the data of the preoperative with that of 1 month and 6 months after POEM respectively, we found that: mean Eckardt score decreased (6.83 vs 0.51, 6.83 vs 0.46, all P <0.05), esophagus diameter reduced (47.97 mm vs 32.00 mm, 47.97 mm vs 28.50 mm, all P <0.05), and esophageal manometry declined (29.5 mmHg vs 11.5 mmHg, 29.5 mmHg vs 10.3 mmHg, all P <0.05). Complications occurred in 14.3% (5/35) of the cases, and no recurrence was observed. At each time point, postoperative QOL scores were higher than those of preoperative (P <0.05).Conclusions: POEM is safe and effective for treating achalasia in the short-term, it can relieve clinic symptoms as well as improve patients’ QOL.     

Update in achalasia: what the surgeon needs to know

Achalasia is a motility disorder encountered by surgeons during the investigation and treatment of dysphagia. Recent advances in manometry technology, a widely accepted new classification system and a new treatment rapidly gaining international acceptance, have changed the working knowledge required to successfully manage patients with achalasia. We review the Chicago classification subtypes of achalasia with type II achalasia being a predictor of success and type III achalasia a predictor of treatment failure. We review per‐oral endoscopic myotomy as an emerging treatment option and its potential for improving the treatment of type III achalasia.     

S-POEM in treatment of achalasia and esophageal epiphrenic diverticula – single center experience

Abstract

Background: Standard treatment for esophageal epiphrenic diverticula associated with achalasia includes surgical diverticulectomy, myotomy and anterior fundoplication. However, several case reports published recently suggest that endoscopic approach using per oral endoscopic myotomy is a safe and effective alternative.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of a single center case series of patients with achalasia and epiphrenic diverticula. During the treatment, the POEM guided on the opposite site of the diverticular neck without diverticulotomy was performed. Symptomatic outcome was evaluated 3 months after procedure and afterwards with the median follow-up time of 24 months. High resolution manometry was performed 3 months after the procedure.

Results: Seven patients with esophageal epiphrenic diverticula were included. POEM was successfully performed in all patients, with no complications in the periprocedural period. We observed a significant reduction of Eckardt score and the relaxation pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter (31.8 vs. 8.8?mmHg, p < .0001).

Conclusions: POEM is a promising approach in the management of achalasia and esophageal epiphrenic diverticula. We demonstrated its safety, efficiency and ability to provide symptom reduction and decrease of the LES relaxation pressure even without diverticulotomy. Multicentric studies on larger cohorts of patients and with longer follow-up time are required to confirm these results.     

DUAL-POEM for associated esophageal and gastric motility disorders: case series of endoscopic cardiomyotomy and endoscopic pyloromyotomy

Abstract

Background: Per-oral esophageal myotomy endoscopic (E-POEM) has clearly proved safety and efficiency in the treatment of esophageal spastic disorders. Recent studies on endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) suggest good efficiency and safety in the treatment of gastroparesis. In recent literature, some reports showed both esophageal motility disorders and gastroparesis.

Methods: We report the case of four patients with esophageal and gastric motility disorders who were successfully treated with DUAL POEM (E-POEM and G-POEM) in two separate procedures.

Results: Clinical improvement was reported in all patients with a decrease of the Eckardt score for esophageal motility disorders and a decrease of the GCSI score for gastroparesis. No adverse events occurred after any procedure. These reported cases suggest that is possible to perform an E-POEM and a G-POEM in the same patient in two distinct procedures.

Conclusions: DUAL POEM seems to be faisable in patient with esophageal motility disorders associated with gastroparesis. The possibility of the concomitant occurrence of esophageal and gastric motility disorders could lead to change in practices with an overall assessment including gastric empting scintigraphy, high resolution manometry and pH-impedancemetry for patients with digestive motility disorders.     

Miotomía endoscópica peroral para el tratamiento de acalasia y otros trastornos motores del esófago. Resultados a corto y mediano plazo en un centro de referencia en México

Introduction and aims

Achalasia is characterized by the absence of lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and esophageal aperistalsis. Diagnosis is confirmed through high-resolution esophageal manometry. Laparoscopic myotomy is the standard treatment, but peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a safe and effective alternative, with good short-term and medium-term results. Our aim was to describe the short-term and medium-term experience with POEM at a tertiary care center.

经食管后壁内镜肌切开术治疗贲门失弛缓症的初步评价

目的 探讨经食管后壁内镜肌切开术(POEM)治疗贲门失弛缓症的有效性及安全性.方法 选择诊断明确的贲门失弛缓症患者,经食管后壁行POEM,观察手术前后患者的吞咽困难的积分、食管下括约肌静息压变化、手术并发症等.结果 28例贲门失弛缓症患者入选研究,其中26例患者顺利施行经食管后壁的POEM,平均手术时间68.8 min,无一例患者发生严重危及生命的手术并发症.26例患者术后食管下括约肌静息压力较术前平均降低16.37 mm Hg(1 mmHg =0.133 kPa),术后1个月Eckardt评分均分较术前降低6.69分,仅1例患者仍有吞咽困难,Eckardt评分为4分,总有效率96.1％ (25/26).1例患者术后出现反流症状.2例患者因贲门部严重疤痕形成而未能完成POEM手术.结论 经食管后壁POEM能即时有效地改善贲门失弛缓症患者吞咽困难的临床症状,有效降低食管下括约肌静息压力,短期疗效满意,其并发症尤其是气胸发生率较低,安全性较高.     

Peroral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal achalasia: technique, indication, and outcomes

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been developed as an incisionless, minimally invasive endoscopic treatment intending a permanent cure for esophageal achalasia. The concept of endoscopic myotomy was first reported about 3 decades ago, but the direct incision method through the mucosal layer was not considered to be a safe and reliable approach. A novel method of endoscopic myotomy was developed and established by the authors. In this article, the current techniques, applications, and clinical results of POEM are described.