Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014848 (achalasia)
 2,804 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Oesophageal achalasia was treated with modified Heller's oesophagomyotomy in 51 patients (19 males, 32 females) via thoracotomy in 47 cases and thoracoscopy in 4 cases. A Belsey Mark IV antireflux procedure was added to transthoracic oesophagomyotomy in two cases, because of extended cardiomyotomy. There were no hospital deaths. The overall improvement rate was 93.5%, with excellent results in 80.6%. Postoperative follow-up averaged 7.4 years. In all four cases of thoracoscopic oesophagomyotomy, simultaneous oesophagoscopy was performed to facilitate the procedure. One patient required repeat surgery 2 months later because of inadequate myotomy. Thirty-one patients, including three with severe gastro-oesophageal reflux, received long-term medication. Barrett's oesophagus developed in two of the 31 patients (6.5%) 4.7 and 7.6 years, respectively, after myotomy and squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in a 44-year-old woman 2.2 years postoperatively. The study suggests that transthoracic oesophagomyotomy without antireflux procedure can provide excellent long-term relief of dysphagia in oesophageal achalasia and carries a low risk of serious postoperative complications.
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PMID:Transthoracic oesophagomyotomy in the treatment of achalasia--a 15-year experience. 1062 44

This is a review of some of the most important growing points in the specialties of gastroenterology and hepatology. It does not aim to be completely comprehensive but to pick out major areas of importance to examination candidates and doctors without special experience in the field. Topics covered include: upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage; Barrett's oesophagus; carcinoma of the oesophagus; achalasia; Helicobacter pylori; duodenal ulcer prevention; coeliac disease; dermatitis herpetiformis; Crohn's disease; small bowel overgrowth; ulcerative colitis; carcinoma of the large bowel; obesity; endoscope sterilisation; gall stones; liver transplantation; autoimmune liver disease; viral hepatitis; metabolic liver diseases; and pancreatic insufficiency.
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PMID:Advances in gastroenterology and hepatology. 1082 44

Endoscopic mucosal resection of the esophagus was found to be safe and easy to perform. Efforts must be made to detect early m1 to m2 cancers, which are indicated for EEMR. It is necessary to perform periodic endoscopic examination. During endoscopic examination, it is important to wash the inside of the esophagus with water and perform careful observation. Also, in high-risk patients and patients with abnormalities, such as erythema, turbidity, or hypervascularity, iodine staining should be performed frequently. Patients at high risk for esophageal cancer include (1) men more than 55 years old who are heavy smokers and drinkers; (2) patients with cancer of the head and neck region; and (3) individuals with a family history of cancer and those with achalasia, corrosive esophagitis, or Barrett's esophagus.
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PMID:Endoscopic mucosal resection for mucosal cancer in the esophagus. 1177 47

Two unusual cases of achalasia with endoscopic and histologic documentation of Barrett's esophagus are presented. One patient had Barrett's esophagus at the time of initial endoscopy for achalasia, before any treatment. The other patient developed specialized columnar epithelia in the esophagus after treatment with pneumatic dilation. Each patient had evidence of low-grade dysplasia. Including these two patients, 30 cases of Barrett's esophagus in patients with achalasia have been reported in the literature. In 73% (22 of 30) of the cases, Barrett's esophagus was detected after esophagomyotomy. In 20% (6 of 30) of the cases of achalasia and Barrett's esophagus, adenocarcinoma developed. The current two cases are unusual because Barrett's esophagus in achalasia generally develops from gastroesophageal reflux after esophagomyotomy. No other patients have been reported to develop Barrett's esophagus after pneumatic dilation alone. Patients with achalasia and Barrett's esophagus may be at a particularly high risk for developing dysplasia and adenocarcinoma.
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PMID:Barrett's esophagus and achalasia. 1190 48

We report an unusual hepatoid adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus with achalasia, which developed in a 44-year-old Japanese woman. The patient received an esophago-gastrectomy after diagnosis of the tumor and achalasia at the lower esophagus, 4 months before her death due to multiple metastatic tumors of the liver. The main granular tumor removed surgically was a hepatoid adenocarcinoma, mainly composed of clear cancer cells (alpha-1 antitrypsin, albumin and alpha-fetoprotein positive), with elements of choriocarcinoma and tubular adenocarcinoma. Non-neoplastic specialized columnar epithelium was present extensively near the oral side of the tumor edge in the esophagus, indicating Barrett's esophagus. This unusual tumor was therefore considered to have originated in Barrett's esophagus. The gastroesophageal reflux was presumed to have occurred for a long period, as there was a well-preserved fundic gland in the stomach and a history of frequent vomiting from the patient's youth, accounting for the appearance of achalasia.
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PMID:Hepatoid adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus associated with achalasia: first case report. 1194 Feb 19

Pseudoachalasia is an esophageal motor disorder usually associated with malignancy that has clinical, radiographic, and manometric findings that are often indistinguishable from primary achalasia. There are few reports examining the histologic features of the associated neoplasms and their relationship with the esophageal myenteric plexus. We studied the clinical and pathologic features of 13 cases of pseudoachalasia seen at our institution between 1979 and 1999. Detailed clinical and radiographic data were obtained from medical records. In all cases available histologic material was reviewed to confirm the presence and type of associated neoplasm. When possible, the relationship of the neoplasm to the esophageal myenteric plexus was examined. In selected cases immunohistochemical stains were performed to further evaluate this relationship. All patients had clinical, radiographic, and manometric features similar to primary achalasia. The cohort included seven men and six women, age range 24-79 years (median 61 years). Associated neoplasms included esophageal adenocarcinoma arising in Barrett's esophagus (n = 1), adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (n = 7), metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the esophagogastric junction (n = 1), breast adenocarcinoma (n = 1), pulmonary small cell carcinoma (n = 1), pleural malignant mesothelioma (n = 1), and mediastinal fibrosis (n = 1). The mechanism of pseudoachalasia was consistent with neoplastic infiltration of the esophageal myenteric plexus in 11 cases. Neoplastic cells surrounded myenteric ganglion cells, which appeared normal in number and morphology. In the patient with pulmonary small cell carcinoma, there was no evidence of neoplastic infiltration of the esophagogastric junction, and anti-ANNA-1 antibody was detected, suggesting a paraneoplastic syndrome. Tissue obtained at the time of esophagomyotomy revealed lymphocytic myenteric inflammation and marked depletion of ganglion cells identical to that seen in primary achalasia. The mechanism pseudoachalasia in the patient with breast adenocarcinoma is uncertain, as there was no evidence of direct involvement of the esophagogastric junction. In summary, we describe 13 cases of pseudoachalasia resulting in a clinical syndrome indistinguishable from primary achalasia. The most common mechanism is direct involvement of the esophageal myenteric plexus by neoplastic cells. Rarely, a distant neoplasm may cause this syndrome as a paraneoplastic process.
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PMID:The pathogenesis of pseudoachalasia: a clinicopathologic study of 13 cases of a rare entity. 1202 84

Heller's esophagomyotomy relieves dysphagia but does not restore esophageal peristalsis. The myotomy may induce reflux and the addition of a 360 degrees fundoplication may be hazardous with regard to the remaining aperistaltic esophagus. The aim of this prospectively randomized clinical trial was to compare the outcome for patients with uncomplicated achalasia who underwent an anterior Heller's esophagomyotomy (H group) with or without an additional floppy Nissen fundoplication (H + N group). Between 1984 and 1995, 20 patients were prospectively randomized to one or other of the performed operations, 10 patients per group. Esophagitis including Barrett's esophagus (n = 2) was seen under medical treatment, in 6 of 9 in the H group but none in the H + N group. No patient in the H + N group required postoperative continuous acid-reducing drugs. Twenty-four-hour esophageal pH-studies in median 3.4 years after surgery showed pathological reflux expressed as a percentage of time below pH 4 of 13.1% in the H group compared to 0.15% (P < 0.001) in H + N group. One patient with recurrent dysphagia in the H + N group later had an esophagectomy. The remaining patients reported significant improvement of dysphagia without symptoms of reflux at 8.0 years follow-up. Heller's esophagomyotomy eliminates dysphagia, but can induce advanced reflux that requires medical treatment. The addition of a 360 degrees fundoplication eliminates reflux without adding dysphagia in the majority of patients and can be recommended for most patients with uncomplicated achalasia.
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PMID:Heller's esophagomyotomy with or without a 360 degrees floppy Nissen fundoplication for achalasia. Long-term results from a prospective randomized study. 1464 Dec 90

The lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) is a specialized segment of the circular muscle layer of the distal oesophagus, accounting for approximately 90% of the basal pressure at the oesophago-gastric junction. Together with the crural diaphragm, it functions as an antireflux barrier protecting the oesophagus from the caustic gastric content. During swallowing or belching, the LOS muscle must relax briefly in order to allow passage of food or intragastric air. These swallow-induced and prolonged transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations (TLOSRs) respectively result from activation of the inhibitory motor innervation of the sphincter. Both in man and animals, the main neurotransmitter released by the inhibitory neurones is nitric oxide. The two typical examples of dysfunction of the LOS are achalasia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Achalasia is characterized by reduction or even absence of the inhibitory innervation to the LOS, leading to impaired LOS relaxation with dysphagia and stasis of food in the oesophagus. On the contrary, GORD results from failure of the antireflux barrier, with increased exposure of the oesophagus to gastric acid. This leads to symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation, and in more severe cases to oesophagitis, Barrett's oesophagus and even carcinoma. To date, TLOSRs are recognized as the main underlying mechanism, and may represent an important target for treatment. More insight in the pathogenesis of both diseases will undoubtedly lead to new treatments in the near future.
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PMID:The lower oesophageal sphincter. 1583 51

When patients with the typical reflux symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation, or both, undergo endoscopy, up to 75% will not have endoscopic oesophagitis or evidence of Barrett's oesophagus. These patients have been described as having endoscopic negative or, more commonly, non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Patients without oesophagitis, but with a positive pH test, can be diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some experts also consider a response to proton pump inhibitor therapy as proof of GERD in a patient with the correct symptoms and a negative endoscopy. Patients with normal acid exposure, but who report symptoms with a majority of their reflux episodes documented during an ambulatory pH study, have also been considered to have NERD, although others have labelled them as having 'functional heartburn'. Finally, there are some patients who have reflux symptoms and respond to reflux therapy, but have no demonstrable reflux by either endoscopy or ambulatory reflux testing. Whether these patients are part of the GERD spectrum or have another diagnosis is not clear. It seems that the most widely used definition of functional disease (the Rome II criteria) would include these patients as having functional heartburn, as it was defined as 'greater than or equal to 12 weeks of either continuous or intermittent symptoms of burning retrosternal discomfort or pain without pathologic GERD, achalasia, or other motility disorders with a recognized pathologic basis'. This article reviews potential differences in pathophysiology between erosive oesophagitis and NERD; explores whether symptoms can help distinguish NERD patients from erosive oesophagitis patients; and explores the evaluation and therapy of these patients.
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PMID:Review article: the role of acid suppression in patients with non-erosive reflux disease or functional heartburn. 1648 68

The immense success of laparoscopic surgery as an effective treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and achalasia has established minimal invasive surgery as the gold standard for these two conditions with lower morbidity and mortality, shorter hospital stay, faster convalescence, and less postoperative pain. One controversy in the treatment of GERD evolves around laparoscopic antireflux surgery (LARS) as the preferred treatment for Barrett's esophagus and the procedure's potential to reduce the risk of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. GERD has also been associated with respiratory symptoms, asthma and laryngeal injury, and a second controversy prompts discussions about whether total or partial fundoplication is the more appropriate treatment for GERD. A new and promising alternative in the treatment of GERD is endoluminal therapy. Three types of this new treatment option will be discussed: radiofrequency energy delivered to the lower esophageal sphincter, the creation of a mechanical barrier at the gastroesophageal junction, and the direct endoscopic tightening of the lower esophageal sphincter. Laparoscopic surgery is discussed not only as a very effective treatment for GERD but also as permanent cure for achalasia. This review analyzes the three most important treatment options for achalasia: medications, pneumatic dilatation, and surgical therapy. Medications as the only true non-invasive option in the treatment of achalasia are not as effective as LARS because of their short half-life and variable absorption due to the poor esophageal emptying. The second treatment option, pneumatic dilatation, involves the stretching of the lower esophagus and is still considered the most effective non-surgical treatment for achalasia. Finally, surgical therapy for achalasia and the two major controversies concerning this laparoscopic treatment are discussed. The first involves the extent to which the myotomy is extended onto the stomach, and the second concerns the necessity and type of antireflux procedure to prevent GERD after myotomy. LARS and laparoscopic Heller myotomy are the agreed upon as the gold standards for surgical treatment of GERD and achalasia, respectively. In the hands of an experienced laparoscopic surgeon both are safe and effective treatments for patients with excellent subjective and objective long-term results with at least 90% patient satisfaction.
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PMID:Controversies in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux and achalasia. 1671 33


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