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Query: UMLS:C0014848 (achalasia)
 2,804 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Radiological features of the oesophagus of 7 normal horses and 13 with oesophageal lesions are described. The use of barium sulphate as a contrast agent and the techniqes of its administration are discussed. It is suggested that chronic intermittent oesophageal impaction with food material was a predisposing factor in the development of a localised oesophageal dilation in 3 horses and that one other probably resulted from an injury. A similar dilatation was seen which resulted from oesophageal constriction by a vascular ring. Megaoesophagus was seen in 2 ponies associated with grass sickness and a third case had a more localised ares of dilatation in the distal thoracic oesophagus. Other abnormalities recognised included slow passage of food material through the cranial oesophagus which was seen in 3 horses; one as a sequel to a laryngoplasty operation, the second was the probable result of chronic aerophagia and the third was a congenital abnormality. Oesophagoscopy was found to be a useful adjunct to radiography in the diagnosis of oesophageal disorders in horses.
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PMID:Observations on the potential role of oesophageal radiography in the horse. 708 83

Suspected reflux symptoms that are refractory to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are rapidly becoming the most common presentation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients seen in gastroenterology clinics. These patients are a heterogeneous group, differing in symptom frequency and severity, PPI dosing regimens, and responses to therapy (from partial to absent). Before testing, the physician needs to question the patient carefully about PPI compliance and the timing of drug intake in relation to meals. Switching PPIs or doubling the dose is the next step, but only 20% to 25% of the group refractory to PPIs will respond. The first diagnostic test should be upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. In more than 90% of cases, the results will be normal, but persistent esophagitis may suggest pill esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, or rarer diseases, such as lichen planus, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, or genotype variants of PPI metabolism. If the endoscopy results are normal, esophageal manometry and especially reflux testing should follow. Whether patients should be tested on or off PPI therapy is controversial. Most physicians prefer to test patients off PPIs to identify whether abnormal acid reflux is even present; if it is not, PPIs can be stopped and other diagnoses sought. Testing patients on PPI therapy allows nonacid reflux to be identified, but more than 50% of patients have a normal test result, leaving the clinician with a conundrum-whether to stop PPIs or continue them because the GERD is being treated adequately. Alternative diagnoses in patients with refractory GERD and normal reflux testing include achalasia, eosinophilic esophagitis, gastroparesis, rumination, and aerophagia. However, more than 50% will be given the diagnosis of functional heartburn, a visceral hypersensitivity syndrome. Treating patients with PPI-refractory GERD-like symptoms can be difficult and frustrating. Any of the following may help: a histamine-2 receptor antagonist at night, baclofen to decrease transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, pain modulators, acupuncture, or hypnotherapy. At this time, antireflux surgery should be limited to patients with abnormal acid reflux defined by pH testing and a good correlation of symptoms with acid reflux.
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PMID:Current Diagnosis and Management of Suspected Reflux Symptoms Refractory to Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy. 2755 Dec 49

Aerodigestive diseases, hybrid disorders representing a pathologic link between respiratory and alimentary tracts, may manifest with respiratory signs without gastrointestinal signs. These are underdiagnosed in dogs due to poor clinical recognition and diagnostic limitations. We hypothesize that a subset of dogs presenting for cough without gastrointestinal signs would have occult aerodigestive disorders identified using videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). Data were retrospectively obtained from 31 client-owned dogs presenting for cough, with thoracic radiographs, and a VFSS between April 2015 and December 2017. Exclusion criteria were cough of cardiac origin or gastrointestinal signs within 6 months. Swallow study parameters included pharyngeal/esophageal motility, laryngeal obstruction/defects, penetration-aspiration, reflux, excessive aerophagia, megaesophagus (ME), lower-esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome (LES-AS), and sliding hiatal hernia (HH). The median (interquartile range) duration of cough was 4 (2-8) months. Thoracic radiographs were unremarkable in 11 dogs, with aspiration pneumonia suspected in seven. In 25/31 dogs (81%), VFSS abnormalities were detected and some dogs had more than one defect: pharyngeal (n=10) or esophageal hypomotility (n=10), reflux (n=9), penetration-aspiration (n=8), excessive aerophagia (n=6), laryngeal obstruction (n=3), ME (n=3), HH (n=2), and LES-AS (n=1). A respiratory disorder causing cough was identified in 17 dogs with VFSS abnormalities (laryngeal obstruction/defect and airway disease including chronic or eosinophilic bronchitis, tracheal/mainstem bronchial collapse, bronchiectasis, and bronchomalacia). An alimentary disorder identified on VFSS in absence of a discrete respiratory disorder causing cough was diagnosed in eight dogs. In conclusion, canine aerodigestive disorders can manifest as cough without alimentary signs. VFSS is a useful diagnostic to determine the contribution of esophageal/gastrointestinal pathology in dogs with cough.
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PMID:Aerodigestive disorders in dogs evaluated for cough using respiratory fluoroscopy and videofluoroscopic swallow studies. 3149 90