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)

It has been suggested that low-frequency transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) alleviates the dysphagia produced by achalasia and scleroderma of the esophagus. The present study was conducted to elucidate whether TENS treatment improves dysphagia because of changes it induces on esophageal motility. We studied nine achalasia patients before forceful dilatation of the cardias, nine achalasia patients after dilatation, and nine patients with scleroderma. High-frequency TENS was applied to the hand for 30 min while esophageal motility was monitored by manometry. In none of the groups did TENS produce any change in the basal tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, or esophageal body wave amplitude. Low-frequency TENS, used in another seven untreated achalasia patients, also did not improve esophageal motility. Our data indicate that high- or low-frequency TENS does not induce detectable changes in esophageal motility in patients with achalasia or scleroderma.
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PMID:Effect of transcutaneous nerve stimulation on esophageal motility in patients with achalasia and scleroderma. 226 74

A total of 661 esophageal motility studies were performed in 568 patients over a five year period in a tertiary care hospital. Patients referred for investigation generally presented with one of three symptoms: dysphagia, reflux or chest pain. Dysphagia was more closely identified with organic esophageal dysfunction than other symptoms. Normal studies were recorded in 201 instances (30%). Studies demonstrating either a major or minor non-specific motor disorder were found in 380 cases (58%). Achalasia was found in 48 patients who underwent 65 procedures (10%). Scleroderma was diagnosed in 7 patients (1%). Elderly patients were not found to have diminished esophageal function when compared to a young group.
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PMID:Studies in esophageal motility: five year clinical experience in a Canadian tertiary care hospital. 237 29

Primary esophageal motor disorders are rare, but they respond well to surgery if they are accurately diagnosed and if treatment carefully follows the fundamental principles of management. In the lower esophagus the most important primary disorders are achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, and scleroderma. Upper esophageal primary disorders are mostly rare; however, problems of age and neurologic diseases are a significant source of debility, making their management important. Details of investigation and management have been outlined in this article.
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PMID:Esophageal motor disorders. 310 43

Chylothorax is an unusual complication after transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) and in the past 10 years has occurred in 11 of 320 patients (3%) undergoing this operation for diseases of the intrathoracic esophagus. Four patients had benign esophageal disease: scleroderma reflux esophagitis (1), caustic stricture (1), and achalasia (2), and each had undergone at least one previous esophageal operation. Seven patients had intrathoracic esophageal carcinoma--two upper-third, two middle-third, and three distal-third lesions. Excessive chest tube drainage more than 72 hours after THE was the standard presentation, and the diagnosis of chylothorax was confirmed by the administration of cream through the jejunostomy feeding tube placed routinely at operation. The character of the chest tube drainage changed from serous to opalescent. Aggressive treatment of this complication was the rule, and every patient underwent a thoracotomy between 2 to 14 days (average, 6 days) after the diagnosis was established. Cream was administered through the jejunostomy tube before operation, and in each case the thoracic duct injury was readily identified and controlled with suture ligatures. There were no deaths in this group, and there was one recurrence of the fistula that required reoperation; all patients were discharged from the hospital within 3 to 29 days (average, 10 days) after thoracic duct ligation. It is concluded that early recognition of a chylothorax after transhiatal esophagectomy with prompt transthoracic ligation of the injured duct results in a shorter overall hospitalization and lower morbidity and mortality from this complication. The traditional conservative management of chylothorax with intravenous hyperalimentation and no or low-residue enteral feedings has little place in this nutritionally depleted patient population.
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PMID:Aggressive treatment of chylothorax complicating transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy. 317 69

Esophageal motility disorders consist of a complex array of disturbances in normal esophageal function associated with dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux, and noncardiac chest pain. A thorough knowledge of normal esophageal anatomy and physiology is important to a full understanding of these motility derangements. Through a complicated interaction of neuromuscular and hormonal influences, the voluntary act of swallowing transforms into an automated sequence of peristaltic waves propelling food and liquids into the stomach in concert with coordinated relaxation of the sphincters. Anatomic and physiologic barriers exist within the esophagus protecting against gastroesophageal reflux and aspiration. With improvements in diagnostic tools such as barium contrast radiography, scintigraphy, pH measurements, and esophageal manometrics with provocative testing, motility disorders have become better defined and understood. Primary motility disorders consist of achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), "nutcracker esophagus," hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter, and nonspecific esophageal motility dysfunction (NEMD). A host of secondary and miscellaneous motility disorders also affect the esophagus, including scleroderma and other connective tissue diseases, diabetes mellitus, Chagas' disease, chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and neuromuscular disorders of striated muscle. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may also be promoted by associated motility disturbances. Treatment modalities include surgical myotomy; dilatation; and pharmacologic manipulations, including use of nitrates, calcium-channel blockers, H2-blockers, and psychotropic drugs where appropriate.
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PMID:Esophageal motility disorders. 329 77

This study examines the scintigraphic transit pattern in a variety of esophageal disorders. Scintigraphy was performed with a semi solid bolus and the patient in an upright position. Condensed esophageal images were obtained from which we derived the esophageal transit time. The pattern of bolus transit was graded by the duration of transit and by the presence of hold up or retrograde motion. Scintigrams were performed in 11 volunteers and 88 patients whose esophageal function had been confirmed by conventional gastroesophageal techniques. Esophageal disorders examined included achalasia (20), scleroderma (9), esophageal carcinoma (8), Barrett esophagus (5), and reflux esophagitis (27). We also examined the effects of gastroesophageal surgery on esophageal function. Transit times distinguished grossly abnormal esophageal function from normal but did not distinguish between different esophageal disorders. Graded transit patterns were a more sensitive indicator of esophageal function and permitted some differentiation between esophageal disorders and allowed evaluation of the effects of gastroesophageal surgery.
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PMID:Esophageal scintigraphy: applications and limitations in the study of esophageal disorders. 340 2

Radiographic and manometric examinations of the esophagus were correlated in 172 patients with dysphagia. Esophageal manometry was abnormal in 66 (38%), with diagnoses of nonspecific esophageal motor disorder (26), achalasia (19), nutcracker esophagus (12), diffuse esophageal spasm (seven), and scleroderma (two). Compared with manometry, radiographic sensitivities were 95% (18 of 19) for achalasia, 71% (five of seven) for diffuse esophageal spasm, and 46% (12 of 26) for nonspecific esophageal motor disorder. Nutcracker esophagus was not diagnosed specifically on the radiographic examination. Overall radiographic sensitivity was 56% (37 of 66) but increased to 89% by excluding nutcracker esophagus and nonspecific esophageal motor disorders. In 106 manometrically normal patients, radiographic specificity was 91% with 10 false-positive diagnoses of nonspecific motor disorder. We conclude that radiographic examination of the esophagus is useful in patients with dysphagia for evaluating functional esophageal abnormalities, although detection rates vary widely with the type of motor disorder.
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PMID:Esophageal radiography and manometry: correlation in 172 patients with dysphagia. 349 55

The usefulness of oesophageal manometry as a clinical tool has been assessed in 202 patients requiring detailed investigation for troublesome oesophageal symptoms, who first presented between June 1979 and May 1982. Only 12 were found to have specific motility disorders such as achalasia and scleroderma. A total of 147 had a variety of non-specific motility disorders and, of these, 112 (76.2 per cent) had coexistent gastro-oesophageal reflux. There was a significant association between the symptoms of dysphagia and the occurrence of predominantly non-propagated motor activity in the oesophagus. A similarly significant relationship existed between crushing chest pain and oesophageal spasm. Despite this statistical association, detection and treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux was found to be the most useful part of clinical management. Symptoms of associated motility disorders resolved in more than 90 per cent of patients treated by Nissen fundoplication. Preoperative assessment of motility was of no value in detecting those who might develop postoperative dysphagia. Oesophageal manometry is useful for the assessment of a small proportion of patients with oesophageal symptoms in whom gastro-oesophageal reflux has been excluded by vigorous investigation, including 24 h pH recording.
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PMID:Clinical implications of abnormal oesophageal motility. 359 42

Radionuclide esophageal transit (RET) is a noninvasive method of studying esophageal function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate RET as a screening test for motility disorders in symptomatic patients. Esophageal manometry and RET were performed in 16 volunteers and in 34 patients who were referred for motility evaluation. Each RET study consisted of two swallows of labeled water with the patient in the supine position under a gamma camera. Six patients had achalasia, two had scleroderma, two had diffuse esophageal spasms, and five had a nonspecific motor disorder. In each case the RET time was prolonged (greater than 15 s). Ten patients had reflux esophagitis; two of these had both abnormal manometry results and prolonged RET times. There were nine patients with upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms but normal manometry results and the RET test was positive in two patients. There were no false-negative RET results. The agreement between the RET and manometry results in this series was 96% (48/50). This preliminary experience suggests that RET is as sensitive as manometry for identifying motility disorders.
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PMID:Radionuclide esophageal transit. A screening test for esophageal disorders. 371 19

Nonesophageal, gastrointestinal symptoms were sought from consecutive patients referred for esophageal manometry in order to determine the prevalence of such symptoms in relation to manometric diagnosis. Reports by 103 patients with esophageal contraction abnormalities, a cluster of manometric findings which includes the "nutcracker esophagus" and diffuse esophageal spasm, were compared to those by patients with the achalasia pattern (21 patients) and scleroderma esophagus (19 patients). A history of persistent (greater than 3 months) bowel habit abnormality requiring medical attention was reported by 19% of those with contraction abnormalities and 26% of those with scleroderma esophagus but by no patient with achalasia (P less than 0.05 for both compared to achalasia). Patients with contraction abnormalities had complained to physicians of more gastrointestinal symptoms and had more often been diagnosed as having the irritable bowel syndrome than those with achalasia. We conclude that, with regard to gastrointestinal symptoms, patients with esophageal contraction abnormalities more closely resemble patients with a motility disorder which has the potential for diffuse symptomatic gastrointestinal involvement (scleroderma) than those with a motility disorder restricted to the esophagus (achalasia). These findings add support to the argument that functional gastrointestinal syndromes may be representative of diffuse neuromuscular derangement in the gastrointestinal tract.
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PMID:Gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with esophageal contraction abnormalities. 394 27


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