Esophageal achalasia

What is esophageal achalasia?

Achalasia is the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax when eating food.

The food is retained in the esophagus, which dilates and loses its function.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom is difficulty swallowing or dysphagia and chest pain. Other symptoms are the regurgitation of food to the mouth and in advanced stages, weight loss.

How is it diagnosed?

The diagnosis is made by means of a high-resolution manometry that will inform us about the type of achalasia.

It is essential to perform a quality upper digestive endoscopy (gastroscopy) and a radiological transit beforehand, in order to rule out other diseases that make it difficult for food to pass through.

If you are looking for a second opinion about your endoscopic treatment or have been offered a surgical solution, contact us.

How is it treated?

The most effective treatment is POEM or endoscopy myotomy. Through an upper digestive endoscopy, without the need for surgical incisions, the affected muscle is treated and we restore the natural passage of food.

POEM is equally effective for all three types of achalasia (I, II, and III) and is the only truly effective treatment for type III achalasia.

In the other types of achalasia, drugs, endoscopic dilation, endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin, and surgery (Heller myotomy) are much less effective or more aggressive.

The Endos Advanced team introduced POEM in our country, is especially dedicated to this technique and has extensive experience in treating complex patients who have not responded to other treatments.

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Achalasia with esophageal diverticula before treatment.

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Normalization after treatment.