Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy and Dor Fundoplication for Esophageal Achalasia: Technique and Perioperative Management

Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for Achalasia after Bariatric Surgery: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION

Achalasia following bariatric surgery is a rare phenomenon with diverse potential physiopathological origins.

AIMS

This article aims to explore the hypothetical physiopathological connection between bariatric surgery and the subsequent onset of achalasia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A review was conducted to identify studies reporting cases of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) after bariatric procedures and detailing the outcomes in terms of the technical and clinical success. Additionally, a case of a successful POEM performed on a patient two years after undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is presented.

RESULTS

The selection criteria yielded eight studies encompassing 40 patients treated with POEM for achalasia after bariatric surgery: 34 after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and 6 after LSG. The studies reported an overall technical success rate of 97.5%, with clinical success achieved in 85% of cases. Adverse events were minimal, with only one case of esophageal leak treated endoscopically. However, a postprocedural symptomatic evaluation was notably lacking in most of the included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Achalasia poses a considerable challenge within the bariatric surgery population. POEM has emerged as a technically viable and safe intervention for this patient demographic, providing an effective treatment option where surgical alternatives for achalasia are limited. Our findings highlight the promising outcomes of POEM in these patients, but the existing data remain limited. Hence, prospective studies are needed to elucidate the optimal pre-surgical assessment and timing of endoscopic procedures for optimizing outcomes.

Efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal motility disorders after gastric surgery: Japan Achalasia Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVES

Patients with esophageal motility disorders (EMDs) including achalasia after gastric surgery have not been thoroughly characterized. Furthermore, the efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in this population should be clarified.

METHODS

In this retrospective multicenter study of 3707 patients with EMDs, 31 patients (0.8%) had a history of gastric surgery. Patient characteristics and POEM efficacy were compared between patients with and without previous gastric surgery.

RESULTS

In patients with EMD after gastric surgery, age at EMD diagnosis was higher (72.0 years), male sex was predominant (90.3%), and the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score was higher (≥II, 48.4%). High-resolution manometry (HRM) findings did not reveal significant differences. In patients who underwent gastric surgery, atrophic gastritis was common (80.6%), and gastric cancer was the primary surgical indication (32.3%). Distal gastrectomy was performed in 28 patients (90.3%). POEM was effective (3.3% adverse events; 100% treatment success). The incidence rates of reflux esophagitis (RE) and symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were 60.0% and 16.7%, respectively, without significant intergroup differences, and severe RE was not observed in the long-term follow-up. Extended gastric myotomy was a risk factor for RE.

CONCLUSION

Patients with gastric surgery often present severe disease manifestations; the surgical indication is mainly gastric cancer. HRM findings can be similarly used for diagnosis in patients with and without gastric surgery. POEM maintains safety and efficacy with acceptable RE and symptomatic GERD rates. To prevent RE, extended myotomy should be avoided.

Efficacy and safety of peroral endoscopic myotomy after prior sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery

BACKGROUND

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is safe and effective for the treatment of achalasia. There is limited data on performance of POEM in patients with altered upper gastrointestinal anatomy, especially after bariatric surgery. Outcomes in patients with prior sleeve gastrectomy have not been reported.

AIM

To assess the efficacy and safety of POEM in patients with prior bariatric surgery.

METHODS

A prospective POEM database was reviewed from 3/2017-5/2020 to identify patients who underwent POEM after prior bariatric surgery. Efficacy was assessed by technical success (defined as the ability to successfully complete the procedure) and clinical success [decrease in Eckardt score (ES) to ≤ 3 post procedure]. Safety was evaluated by recording adverse events.

RESULTS

Six patients (50% male, mean age 48 years) with a history of prior bariatric surgery who underwent POEM were included. Three had prior sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and three prior Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Four patients had achalasia subtype II and 2 had type I. Most (4) patients had undergone previous achalasia therapy. Technical success was 100%. Clinical success was achieved in 4 (67%) patients at mean follow-up of 21 mo. In one of the clinical failures, EndoFLIP evaluation demonstrated adequate treatment and candida esophagitis was noted as the likely cause of dysphagia. There were no major adverse events.

CONCLUSION

POEM is technically feasible after both RYGB and SG and offers an effective treatment for this rare group of patients where surgical options for achalasia are limited.

Management of Esophageal Achalasia after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Narrative Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION

The development of achalasia after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is rare. Heller myotomy (HM) is the gold standard treatment while peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an emerging technique with promising results. The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the current knowledge on the treatment of esophageal achalasia after RYGB.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were consulted. All articles that described the management of achalasia after RYGB were included in this narrative review.

RESULTS

Twelve studies for a total of 28 patients were included. The age of the patient population ranged from 44 to 70 years old and 80% were females. Overall, 61.5% underwent laparoscopic RYGB while 38.5% underwent open RYBG. The elapsed time from the RYGB to myotomy ranged from 14 months to 14 years. Dysphagia (64%) and regurgitation (60.7%) were the most commonly reported symptoms; type I achalasia was diagnosed in 50% of patients. Surgical HM was performed in 17 patients (61%) while POEM was performed in 11 patients (39%). Postoperative morbidity was 3.6% with no differences comparing surgical HM and POEM (6% vs. 0%, p = 0.43). The follow-up time ranged from 1 to 43 months. The overall recurrence rate requiring reoperation was 7% with no differences comparing surgical HM and POEM (12% vs. 0%; p = 0.25).

CONCLUSION

Both HM and POEM seem feasible, safe, and effective in the management of achalasia after RYGB. The role of POEM in the management algorithm of these patients should be further evaluated.

Meta-analysis of clinical outcome after treatment for achalasia based on manometric subtypes

BACKGROUND

The introduction of high-resolution manometry and the Chicago classification has made it possible to diagnose achalasia and predict treatment response accurately. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the different treatments available on symptomatic outcomes across all achalasia subtypes.

METHODS

The study was conducted according to PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. A literature search of PubMed and MEDLINE databases was undertaken to identify all relevant articles reporting clinical outcomes of patients with achalasia after botulinum toxin injection, pneumatic dilatation, laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) based on manometric subtypes. Patients were grouped according to the Chicago classification and the success rate in treating symptoms was measured as the primary endpoint.

RESULTS

Twenty studies (1575 patients) were selected, and data on botulinum toxin, pneumatic dilatation, LHM and POEM were extracted. Success rates for LHM in type I, II and III achalasia were 81, 92 and 71 per cent respectively. Those for POEM were 95, 97 and 93 per cent respectively. POEM was more likely to be successful than LHM for both type I (odds ratio (OR) 2·97, 95 per cent c.i. 1·09 to 8·03; P = 0·032) and type III (OR 3·50, 1·39 to 8·77; P = 0·007) achalasia. The likelihood of success of POEM and LHM for type II achalasia was similar.

CONCLUSION

Pneumatic dilatation had a lower but still acceptable success rate compared with POEM or LHM in patients with type II achalasia. POEM is an excellent treatment modality for type I and type III achalasia, although it did not show any superiority over LHM for type II achalasia.

Esophageal stasis in achalasia patients without symptoms after treatment does not predict symptom recurrence

BACKGROUND

After achalasia treatment, a subset of patients has poor esophageal emptying without having symptoms. There is no consensus on whether to pre-emptively treat these patients. We hypothesized that, if left untreated, these patients will experience earlier symptom recurrence than patients without stasis.

METHODS

99 treated achalasia patients who were in clinical remission (Eckardt ≤3) at 3 months after treatment were divided into two groups, based on presence or absence of esophageal stasis on a timed barium esophagogram performed after 3 months.

KEY RESULTS

Two years after initial treatment, patients with stasis after treatment still had a wider esophagus (3 cm; IQR: 2.2-3.8) and more stasis (3.5 cm; IQR: 1.9-5.6) than patients without stasis (1.8 cm wide and 0 cm stasis; both P<.001). In patients with stasis, the esophageal diameter had increased from 2.5 to 3.0 cm within 2 years of follow-up. The symptoms, need for and time to retreatment were comparable between the two groups. Quality of life and reflux symptoms were also comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Although patients with stasis initially had a wider esophagus and 2 years after treatment also had a higher degree of stasis and a more dilated esophagus, compared to patients without stasis, they did not have a higher chance of requiring retreatment. We conclude that stasis in symptom-free achalasia patients after treatment does not predict treatment failure within 2 years and can therefore not serve as a sole reason for retreatment.