BACKGROUND Pneumatic balloon dilation is a popular method of treating patients with achalasia cardia. It may be useful to know the factors that predict response to this treatment. AIM To determine predictors of outcome following pneumatic balloon dilation in patients with achalasia cardia. METHODS Records of 62 patients who had undergone pneumatic dilation using Rigiflex balloon dilators (B...

Several treatment options are available in the management of achalasia of the cardia. Of a recent series of 14 children, 12 were treated by a modified Heller's myotomy combined with a floppy Nissen fundoplication. Symptoms were dramatically improved in nine during a mean follow up period of 3.9 years. Recurrent oesophageal pain was the most resistant symptom and continued to be moderately sever...

Accessible online at: www.karger.com/dsu Dear Editor With interest we read the article by Abir et al. [1] entitled ‘Surgical treatment of achalasia: Current status and controversies’ including a brilliant overview on pharmacologic, interventional and surgical treatment modalities. However, we would like to point out the following considerations on the topic: (1) In our institution we use the ‘S...

balloon dilatation of stricture is one of the new treatment methods among patients with gastric outlet obstruction (goo). however, the prevalence and underlying etiologies of goo in various populations are different. the goal of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of endoscopic balloon dilatation and factors that would affect its success rate patients with benign etiology for g...

BACKGROUND Intrasphincteric injection of botulinum toxin is a new treatment option for achalasia. AIMS To compare the immediate and long term efficacy of botulinum toxin with that of pneumatic dilatation. METHODS Symptomatic patients with achalasia were randomised to botulinum toxin (22 patients, median age 57 years) or pneumatic dilatation (20 patients, median age 56 years). Symptom scores...

conclusions the present case appears to offer a safe and relatively simple method of balloon dilatation inside the lumen of the embolized fragment when the foreign body is too distal to retrieve with conventional snare systems. introduction increasing numbers of complex percutaneous coronary interventions have been accompanied by various intra-procedural complications. the fracture and emboliza...

among the therapeutic options for achalasia are pneumatic dilatation (pd), an appropriate long-term therapy, and botulinum toxin injection (bt) that is a relatively short-term therapy. this study aimed to compare therapeutic effect of repetitive pneumatic dilation with a combined method (botulinum toxin injection and pneumatic dilation) in a group of achalasia patients who are low responder to ...

BACKGROUND Pneumatic dilatation or intrasphincteric botulinum toxin injection provide effective symptom relief for patients with achalasia. Although intrasphincteric botulinum toxin injection is simple and safe, its efficacy may be short-lived. Pneumatic dilatation lasts longer, but esophageal perforation is a risk. We compared treatment costs for pneumatic dilatation and intrasphincteric botul...