The efficacy of pneumatic balloon dilatation treatment on achalasia: Single center experience

Achalasia is one of the most common motility disorders of esophagus characterized by deterioration of the lower esophageal sphincter due to loss of myenteric plexus. The main symptoms are progressive dysphagia towards fluids and solids, regurgitation of food, weight loss, aspiration pneumonitis. Methods such as pneumatic dilatation, pharmacological agents, laparoscopic heller myotomy, and peroral endoscopic myotomy are used in the treatment. We want to present our results of pneumatic dilatation in this study. 31 newly diagnosed patients who underwent pneumatic dilatation at Inonu University Turgut Ozal Medical Center between 2008 and 2016 , were included in the study. Pneumatic dilatation was applied once on 17 (55%) patients, twice on 6 (19%) patients, and thrice and over on 8 (26%) patients. In 27 (87%) patients, success was achieved with pneumatic dilatation and in 4 patients (13%) with laparoscopic Heller myotomy. Pneumatic dilatation being a less invasive method among available treatment methods, still maintains its efficacy when considering low complications and ease of administration.

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