View clinical trials related to Esophageal Achalasia.
Filter by:This is a pilot study for a new endoscopic treatment of achalasia. Up to 25 patients will be recruited for this trial, with the intent to treat 20 patients.
In patients with achalasia, the relationship between the perception of dysphagia, oesophageal emptying, lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) distensibility and oesophageal circular and longitudinal muscle contraction is not clear. We aim to characterize oesophageal circumferential and longitudinal muscle contractility and LOS distensibility in patients with achalasia (either before or after treatment). This may allow an understanding of the mechanisms underlying persistent dysphagia and delayed oesophageal emptying after treatment.
The aim of this study is to compare efficacy of POEM and pneumatic dilatation in treatment of achalasia cardia.
For the treatment of Achalasia, LHM has been the only surgical therapy. Recently, an endoscopic approach for this therapy has been developed (peroral endoscopic Myotomy POEM). Studies show promising short and mid term results for POEM. At present, POEM is considered a promising new technique with the potential to become a standard achalasia treatment. For this to happen, long-term comparative data with LHM is required. Therefore,the intention for this study is to investigate the short and long-term efficacy of POEM for the treatment of achalasia as it was performed in international centers and compare outcomes with database assessment of LHM.
Patient with achalasia have a 10-50 fold increased risk to develop esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Early diagnosis of ESCC is essential, and detection of an earlier dysplastic stage is preferred. Endoscopic detection is however difficult and often delayed. Chromoendoscopy with Lugol dye increases detection rates dysplasia and ESCC to 91-100%. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate a screening program using chromoendoscopy with Lugol to detect dysplasia in patients with idiopathic achalasia. A second objective is to study the relationship between foodstasis and the development op dysplasia
Achalasia is a rare motor disorder of the gastroesophageal junction which is associated with an increased pressure of the esophageal sphincter. This leads to impairment to swallow and heartburn. Esophageal myotomy, which is a surgical longitudinal incision of the esophageal muscle layer extending over to the gastroesophageal junction is the treatment of choice for achalasia. In order to prevent reflux of stomach content into the esophagus this has to be combined with an antireflux procedure where the upper part of the stomach (fundus) is wrapped around the esophagus (fundoplication). This procedure can be performed with the wrapped fundus either in front of the esophagus (Dor procedure) or behind (Toupet). The latter introduces an angulation of the esophagus, which possibly may lead to an impairment of swallowing ability and passage of food to the stomach. On the other hand, the Toupet procedure may give a better control of reflux. The primary endpoint of the study is symptoms of impaired swallowing 1 year after treatment. Secondary outcomes include reflux (pH measurements in the esophagus), radiological imaging of swallowing and quality of life.
Would systemic steroids be an effective treatment in early variants of achalasia?
Endoscopic Esophageal Myotomy (POEM), the research procedure, splits the lower esophageal sphincter muscle fibers from the inside of the esophagus, avoiding several abdominal incisions (belly area cuts), by using an endoscope to create a small cut at the most inner layer of the esophagus to expose the esophageal sphincter muscle fibers from the inside of the esophagus. The investigators are studying whether subjects who undergo Endoscopic Esophageal Myotomy will have similar functional outcome, and at the same time less pain, scar formation and wound infection than with laparoscopic or open surgery.
From clinical observation that some achalasia patients drink water to help swallow food, the investigators have proposed a systemic hot water drinking therapy. This study is to observe its efficacy on achalasia symptoms and explore its mechanism.
Achalasia is a chronic disease of altered esophageal motility with resulting functional obstruction to the passage of food leading to poor quality of life and significant morbidity. The two main treatments available in the US are endoscopic balloon dilation and surgical myotomy. Each therapy has advantages and drawbacks and at present both are considered a first choice approach depending on patient preferences and local expertise. Surgical myotomy provides long lasting improvement in dysphagia but even when done laparoscopically is invasive and complex. Extensive acid reflux resulting in significant morbidity is routinely seen after surgical myotomy and additional anti-reflux operation is typically done at the time of the myotomy. Endoscopic balloon dilation is a simple minimally invasive outpatient procedure but improvement of symptoms tends to be shorter in duration and repeat dilations are commonly needed. Both therapies improve on dysphagia but tend to provide suboptimal control of chest pain which is one of the cardinal symptoms of achalasia. The peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) was first introduced in Japan to address the suboptimal results with endoscopic balloon dilation and surgical myotomy. POEM is incisionless minimally invasive but in addition may have some further advantages over surgical myotomy including unlimited length of the myotomy with expected better control of chest pain and preservation of the anatomical anti-reflux barrier (angle of His and the cruse of the diaphragm) with expected lower incidence of acid reflux. In Japan POEM has become the preferred modality for therapy of achalasia due to the excellent results and exceptional safety record. In the US, dedicated POEM devices were approved by the FDA just recently. As a result the bulk of the published data comes from Japan and very little is known regarding outcomes in US population. Therefore the investigators want to prospectively record our experience with POEM as done as part of routine medical care in US population. This will be a data recording study. All patients will receive standard medical care and no experimental interventions will be performed.