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

Esophageal motility disorders often manifest with chest pain and dysphagia. Achalasia is a disorder of the lower esophageal sphincter and the smooth musculature of the esophageal body. In achalasia the lower esophageal sphincter typically fails to relax with swallowing, and the esophageal body fails to undergo peristalsis. In contrast to spastic disorders of the esophagus, achalasia can be progressive and cause pronounced morbidity. Pseudoachalasia mimics achalasia in terms of symptoms but can be caused by infectious disorders or malignancy. Treatment for achalasia is nonstandardized and includes medical, endoscopic, and surgical options. Spastic disorders of the esophagus, such as diffuse esophageal spasm and nutcracker esophagus, and nonspecific esophageal motility disorder are benign and nonprogressive, with similar findings on esophageal manometry. Although the exact cause remains unknown, these disorders may represent a manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Treatment of spastic disorders includes medical and surgical approaches and is aimed at symptomatic relief.
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PMID:Primary esophageal motility disorders. 1149 31

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is one of the main medical revolutions of the past decade. For its satisfactory performance, the following prerequisites are essential: (1) knowledge and experience in thoracic surgery; (2) team of experienced anesthesiologists; (3) preoperative assessment of respiratory function; (4) adequate postoperative care; and (5) instruments specially designed for thoracoscopic surgery. VATS is routinely performed under general anesthesia with double lumen endotracheal intubation for separate control of each lung. Insufflation of carbon dioxide must not exceed 1-3 mm Hg. Too high pressure may cause harmful reduction of venous return and mediastinal shift with impairment of ventilation. Presence of adhesions should be determined by finger exploration of the pleural cavity. Operative ports should be placed carefully, avoiding damage to the intercostal nerves and vessels. The video technique can be used with efficiency for the following indications: pneumothorax, resection of pulmonary nodules, biopsies of lung, pleura and mediastinal structures, resection of mediastinal tumors, management of empyema, and hemostasis and closure of lacerations after trauma. Indications for esophageal procedures include esophagomyotomy for achalasia and resections of benign lesions. Repair of perforated esophagus is a matter of controversy, but in early stages it can be done thoracoscopically. Although video-pericardioscopy has been performed by some surgeons, this procedure can be done easier and faster using the direct approach without the video equipment. There are differences of opinion with regard to major pulmonary and esophageal resections for cancer. The apparent advantage of diminished pain is offset by inadequate resection, spread of malignant cells and potential damage to the resected specimen with loss of important information concerning pathology. Complications of VATS are few, and include prolonged air leak, dysrhythmia, respiratory failure, bleeding and infection. Due to progress over the past several years, VATS has become an inseparable part of thoracic surgery and should be included in the basic training of every thoracic surgeon.
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PMID:Video-assisted thoracic surgery--state of the art. 1121 70

Squamous cell cancer is the most common neoplasm of the oesophagus worldwide, with an enormous variation in its global incidence. Several risk factors, such as achalasia, Plummer-Vinson syndrome, coeliac disease and nutritional factors, have been identified. The surveillance of patients, especially those with tylosis or caustic ingestion, has been recommended. Vital staining with iodine may improve the diagnosis of early cancer. The endoscopic management of early cancer and dysplasia by minimal invasive techniques such as photodynamic therapy or mucosal resection has become attractive for many of these patients with co-morbidity.
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PMID:Squamous cell cancer of the oesophagus. 1135 14

Laparoscopic surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract is nowadays associated with little morbidity and mortality. Cardiomyotomy with semifundoplication for management of achalasia and the various forms of fundoplication for treatment of reflux syndrome have proved beneficial and have largely replaced conventional surgery. Independent of the operative approach, it has not yet been established with certainty whether gastroesophageal reflux can best be prevented by 360 degrees fundoplication or semifundoplication. A perforated peptic ulcer can be treated effectively by laparoscopic overstitching of omental patch-plasty, although the superiority of the laparoscopic method has yet to be proved. Benign lesions and early malignancies are currently resected laparoscopically, but the role of laparoscopy in the curative treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma remains to be clarified. Diagnostic laparoscopy is used to avoid unnecessary laparotomy in inoperable cancer and to ascertain whether neoadjuvant therapy is indicated in advanced gastric carcinoma.
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PMID:[Laparoscopic surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract]. 1135 25

The authors reviewed the clinical records of 1460 patients with esophageal anastomoses, the operations performed in their institute between 1973 and 2000. Surgical outcome was assessed with incidence of anastomotic leaks and overall mortality. Hand-sewn anastomoses were performed by inserting single layer interrupted monofil steel wire (507), PDS (232) or Vicryl (65) sutures and circular stapler (EEA, Ethicon) was used in 656 patients. 453 (65 cervical, 293 thoracic, and 95 abdominal) anastomoses performed between 1995 and 2000 were analyzed separately. During this 6-year period, the majority of operations (88%) were performed because of esophageal malignancy (squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus or adenocarcinoma of the cardia). Surgery was performed for benign disease (e.g. stricture, perforation, and stage IV achalasia) in 12%. The incidence of anastomotic leak was the highest (20%) after cervical anastomosis, compared to a 4.4% or 1% associated with thoracic or abdominal anastomoses. These differences are statistically significant (p < 0.001). The rate of anastomotic leakage was strongly connected to surgical technique: it was 15% in hand-sewn anastomoses and only 4.4% with stapled anastomosis. During the 6-year period overall mortality was 6.6%t.
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PMID:[Esophageal anastomosis--based on the experience with 1460 operations]. 1143 62

Tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF) in adults are most commonly neoplastic, and very rarely congenital in nature. We report a 45-year-old Hispanic male with TEF and initial presentation of minimal hemoptysis. The patient had radiographic evidence of unilateral upper lobe (RUL) bronchiectasis, massive esophageal dilatation, and dysmotility. However, there was no evidence of esophageal malignancy, achalasia, or Chagas' disease. Bronchoscopy revealed a large TEF in the posterior wall of trachea, which was not visualized on esophagram or esophagoscopy. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures grew Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Our report illustrates that idiopathic, or congenital, TEF can be associated with esophageal dysmotility, adulthood bronchiectasis, and atypical mycobacterial superinfection.
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PMID:Unilateral bronchiectasis and esophageal dysmotility in congenital adult tracheoesophageal fistula. 1150 3

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

We describe a case of pneumopericardium that resulted from esophagopericardial fistula occurring at the 22nd years after operation for achalasia in a 52-year-old male. Atypical features on initial examination suggested myopericarditis or congestive heart failure. A chest roentgenogram and computed tomography revealed development of pneumopericardium. Subsequent emergent pericardiocentesis relieved cardiac tamponade and enabled us to diagnose pyopneumopericardium and esophagopericardial fistula in postoperative period. The esophagopericardial fistula was surgically closed. However, the patient died 2 weeks postoperation of hemorrhage from duodenal ulcer. Autopsy confirmed the pre-mortem diagnosis of esophagopericardial fistula without evidence of malignancy. Early diagnosis and subsequent treatment appears to be most important. This case report reinforces the difficulty of this diagnosis and perhaps the need for clinical awareness and inclusion of this entity in a differential diagnosis.
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PMID:[Esophagopericardial fistula occurring at the 22nd years after operation for achalasia presenting as myopericarditis]. 1188 13

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


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