Achalasia treated with per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)

Esophageal achalasia is a disorder of the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. Patients present with dysphagia, chest pain, vomiting, and aspiration. Esophageal achalasia had traditionally been treated with esophageal achalasia balloon dilatation and the Heller-Dor method, but in recent years, the use of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has increased. Our patient, a 39-yr-old male, began experiencing dysphagia 4 years prior to his referral to our hospital. Based on the results of esophagogastroduodenoscopy, esophageal radiography and high-resolution manometry, we made the diagnosis of esophageal achalasia (Chicago classification type I) . After informed consent from the patient and his family and approval from our hospital's ethics committee were obtained, we performed a POEM. The patient was discharged on the 4th day post-surgery. At the 1-year post-operative examination, no worsening of symptoms and no relapse were observed. POEM is an excellent treatment method for esophageal achalasia from the perspective of therapeutic effect and prevention of invasion. We recommend that it be considered as the first-choice treatment for achalasia. However, accessibility to the procedure itself is limited due to the few adequately trained operators worldwide. POEM should thus be performed by an expert operator at a high-volume center.