Esophageal Mucosal Changes in Achalasia Cardia and Reversibility After Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy - A Pilot Study

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)combines thelong-term efficacy of a myotomy with the benefits of an endoscopic, minimally invasive procedure.Other therapeutic options include endoscopic balloon dilatation and surgical myotomy. Endoscopic balloon dilatation is still widely performed because of its relative non-invasiveness and simplicity, but it has a relatively lower success rate and often requires multiple treatment sessions. Surgical myotomy has been thought to be the curative therapeutic choice for symptomatic achalasia. However, it requires skin incisions and additional anti-reflux surgical intervention.Unlike surgical myotomy, POEM preserves the anatomical integrity of the LES and possibly minimizes postoperative reflux.