REVIEW   

Minerva Chirurgica 2018 April;73(2):194-203

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4733.18.07619-8

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The argument for peroral endoscopic myotomy in treatment of achalasia

Steven P. BOWERS ¹ ✉, Timothy WOODWARD ²

¹ Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA; ² Division of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA

Although there has been debate regarding the optimal procedure to palliate dysphagia in patients with achalasia, emerging reports of longer term follow-up of patients after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) suggest that the POEM procedure is efficacious in relief of dysphagia, and that there is infrequent need for subsequent procedures for treatment of failure or reflux. The number of centers in the United States of America performing POEM for esophageal achalasia continues to increase. This report assess the current knowledge of technical issues of POEM, outcomes after POEM and the status of POEM centers in the U.S.A., and presents the argument for surgeons to participate in the practice of POEM.

KEY WORDS: Esophageal achalasia - Pyloromyotomy - Myotomy - Patient outcome assessment