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

Although esophagomyotomy is highly effective as the initial surgical treatment of most patients with achalasia, those with either recurrent symptoms after a previous esophagomyotomy or a megaesophagus do not respond as well to esophagomyotomy. Total thoracic esophagectomy was performed in 26 patients (average age, 49 years) with achalasia. Eighteen had a history of a previous esophagomyotomy, and 18 had a megaesophagus (esophageal diameter of 8 cm or larger). In 24 patients, a transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy was the operative approach; 2 patients required a transthoracic esophagectomy because of intrathoracic adhesions from prior operations. The stomach was used as the esophageal substitute in all patients; it was positioned in the posterior mediastinum, and a cervical anastomosis was performed. Intraoperative blood loss averaged 765 mL. Major postoperative complications included mediastinal bleeding requiring thoracotomy (2), chylothorax (2), and anastomotic leak (1). There were no postoperative deaths. The average postoperative hospital stay was ten days. Follow-up is complete and ranges from 3 to 91 months (average duration, 30 months). All but 1 patient with severe psychiatric disease eat a regular, unrestricted diet without postprandial regurgitation. Early postoperative anastomotic dilation was required in 10 patients. Dumping syndrome has occurred in 5 patients. It is concluded that esophagectomy provides the most reliable treatment of esophageal obstruction, pulmonary complications, and potential late development of carcinoma in the patient with a megaesophagus of achalasia or a failed prior esophagomyotomy and that it is a far better option in these patients than esophagomyotomy, cardioplasty procedures, or limited esophageal resection.
 ...
PMID:Esophageal resection for achalasia: indications and results. 264 31

In cases of mild symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux, standard antireflux surgery, such as fundoplication or the Angelchik prosthesis, produces satisfactory results. Duodenal diversion is recommended for use only in patients with severe oesophageal damage. This situation commonly arises where the gastro-oesophageal junction cannot be reduced into the abdomen, or where previous surgery has made reoperation at the hiatus difficult and hazardous. Fifty-seven patients with severe reflux oesophagitis have been treated by Roux-en-Y duodenal diversion and antrectomy. Thirty three patients had vagotomy in addition. Median follow-up after operation is 6.1 years. In 35 patients (61%), the technique was used as primary surgical treatment. These included 22 patients in a randomized trial of the method. Thirteen (23%) had previously had unsuccessful antireflux surgery. Nine (16%) had undergone previous operations for peptic ulcer or achalasia. There was no operative mortality. No patient in the series required stricture resection. Good or excellent overall results were achieved in 86% of patients. Eighteen of twenty seven patients with severe strictures required an average of three dilatations after operation before dysphagia was completely relieved. Heartburn was dramatically relieved and oesophagitis settled within an average period of 6 months. Poor or unsatisfactory overall results were observed in 8 (14%) patients. These included one tight fibrous stricture which required endoscopic intubation despite resolution of oesophagitis, and four patients who developed a stomal ulcer. No patients suffered from the dumping syndrome. Malignancy must be carefully excluded by biopsy in all cases of stricture.
 ...
PMID:Duodenal diversion with vagotomy and antrectomy for severe or recurrent reflux oesophagitis and stricture: an alternative to operation at the hiatus. 378 11