Published in SA journal of radiology
Vigorous achalasia is an oesophageal disorder with clinical and radiological characteristics of classic achalasia and diffuse oesophageal spasm. It is a rarely reported variant. A 60-year-old gentleman presented with complaints of difficulty in swallowing, regurgitation and chest pain for the past 10 years. His symptoms persisted despite the use of...
Published in Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
Esophageal peristalsis generally does not return to normal after surgical treatment of achalasia. Direct electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve is known to stimulate antegrade peristalsis in the normal esophagus; however, it is not known whether electrical stimulation will induce return of peristalsis once an achalasia-like disorder has been est...
Published in Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
Some patients with achalasia complain of chest pain in addition to dysphagia and regurgitation. Chest pain is said to be most common in young patients who have been symptomatic for a short time, and who often have vigorous achalasia (distal esophageal amplitude ≥37 mm Hg). Although pneumatic dilatation is reported to improve chest pain in 20% of pa...
