Effects of peroral endoscopic myotomy on esophageal motility in patients with achalasia

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effects of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) on esophageal motility in patients with achalasia(AC) after POEM. Methods Demographics, clinical and manometric data, and outcomes were collected from the medical records of patients who received POEM as the primary therapy for AC in Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2012 to June 2016. The rate of treatment success and change in esophageal dynamics before and after treatment were compared in different types of AC. Results At 6 months′ follow-up of POEM, the symptom remission rate of AC patients with type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ, and type Ⅲ was 100.0% (13/13), 95.5% (42/44) and 90.1% (10/11), respectively. Within 6 months after POEM, lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure [10.5 (6.9, 15.8) mmHg VS 24.6 (18.3, 35.1) mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa], 4 s integrated relaxation pressure [6.0 (3.7, 8.8) mmHg VS 21.8 (15.3, 28.0) mmHg], upper esophageal sphincter (UES)resting pressure [43.4 (33.7, 57.3) mmHg VS 45.3 (33.2, 71.1) mmHg] and UES residual pressure [1.5 (0.0, 4.6) mmHg VS 3.9 (1.1, 6.9) mmHg] were significantly improved compared with those of pre-operation (all P<0.05). At 6 months after POEM, esophageal dilatation diameter (3.0±0.7 cm VS 3.9±1.1 cm) and Eckardt scores [1 (0, 2) VS 6 (5, 8)] were also significantly improved compared with those of pre-operation (all P<0.001). After POEM, the esophageal body peristalsis did not recover in type Ⅰ AC patients. Four patients (9.1%, 4/44) of type Ⅱ AC recovered weak peristalsis or premature contraction, and 10 patients (90.9%, 10/11) of type Ⅲ AC recovered with more normal peristaltic wave, and the rate of pre-systolic contraction or weak peristalsis increased. Conclusion POEM can improve the esophagogastric junction outflow tract obstruction and change the esophageal body motility.After POEM, part patients have recovery of esophageal body motility, which is most obvious in type Ⅲ AC, followed by type Ⅱ, and type Ⅰ AC patients have no significant change. Key words: Esophageal achalasia; Peroral endoscopic myotomy; Esophageal motility