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The term achalasia means "failure
to relax" and refers to the
inability of the lower esophageal
sphincter (a ring of muscle between
the lower esophagus and the stomach)
to open and let food pass into
the stomach. As a result, patients
with achalasia have difficulty
swallowing food.
Common symptoms of achalasia
include:
- Difficulty swallowing solid
and liquid food
- Chest pain
- Regurgitation of food and
liquid.
Possible complications
of achalasia:
- Weight loss
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Inflammation of the esophagus(esophagitis)
- Esophageal ulcerations
- Esophageal cancer
Diagnosis of achalasia
usually is made by:
- Video-esophagram in which
video x-rays of the esophagus
are taken after barium is swallowed
- Esophageal manometry in which
a thin tube that measures the
pressure generated by the contracting
esophageal muscle is passed
through the nose, down the back
of the throat and into the esophagus
- Endoscopy in which a flexible
fiber optic tube with a light
and camera on the end is swallowed.
The camera provides direct visualization
of the inside of the esophagus.
Treatments for achalasia
include:
- Oral medications
- Dilation or stretching of
the esophagu
- Surgery
- Injection of muscle-relaxing
medicines into the esophagus
All four treatments reduce the
pressure within the lower esophageal
sphincter to allow easier passage
of food from the esophagus into
the stomach.
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