Achalasia
Conditions
Keywords
Achalasia
Brief summary
POEM (Per-Oral endoscopic myotomy (creating a muscle \[esophagus\] opening), an incision-less (no cutting of the surface of the body) endoscopic procedure, is an effective non-surgical alternative to release the muscle & sphincter of the LES for the treatment of achalasia.
Detailed description
Achalasia is a disease of the muscle of the esophagus (food tube) & means "a failure to relax." The esophagus consists of 3 parts: the first part (uppermost part) is the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). The UES is a specialized ring of muscle which separates the esophagus from the throat, & prevents food in the second part (body) of the esophagus from regurgitating into the throat. The third part of the esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter \[LES\]) also consists of a specialized ring of muscle which separates the body of the esophagus from the stomach, & prevents food & acid from regurgitating into the body of the esophagus. When achalasia is present, patients experience dysphasia (difficulty swallowing food, & \[sometimes\] liquids), chest pain & can experience recurrent pneumonia & loss of weight. Current treatments for achalasia include oral medications (calcium channel blockers) to relax the LES (difficult to swallow pill/capsule), dilation (stretching) of the LES, (temporary relief) & Esophagomyotomy (general surgery to cut the LES). POEM (Per-Oral endoscopic myotomy (creating a muscle \[esophagus\] opening), an incision-less (no cutting of the surface of the body) endoscopic procedure, is an effective non-surgical alternative to release the muscle & sphincter of the LES for the treatment of achalasia.
Interventions
PROCEDUREPOEM (Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy)
Per-Oral endoscopic myotomy (creating a muscle \[esophagus\] opening), an incision-less (no cutting of the surface of the body) endoscopic procedure, is an effective non-surgical alternative to release the muscle \& sphincter of the LES for the treatment of achalasia
Sponsors
Indiana University
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
18 years of age Referral for the treatment of Achalasia
Exclusion criteria
Less than 18 years of age; Absence of Achalasia
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Eckardt Score | 5 years | Consists of 4 questions used to characterize the severity of achalasia. The questions include symptoms related to dysphagia, chest pain, regurgitation, and weight loss. Each question is assigned a score from 0 to 3 based on the patient's self reported response. The overall score ranges from 0-12, with anything less than 3 meaning no active symptoms, and anything higher than a 3 suggestive of active symptoms. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJohn M DeWitt, M.D.
Indiana University School of Medicine
Outcome results
None listed