Achalasia — Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.com.au) on 5 April 2026
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
What Are the Patient and Procedure-Related Risk Factors for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease After Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy?
Kochhar Smriti et al. — Journal of clinical gastroenterology (3 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41926690/
- 2.
An Exploratory Endoscopic Achalasia Phenotype With Visible Squamocolumnar Junction and Distal Esophagogastric Junction Relaxation Failure: Association With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease After Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (With Video).
Sumi Kazuya et al. — Digestive endoscopy : official journal of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41934289/
- 3.
Long-term Outcomes of Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) versus Pneumatic Dilation after prior Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy for Achalasia.
Wessels Elise M et al. — Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41932531/
- 4.
Sudden death secondary to compression of the upper airway by esophageal distension.
Hache Manon et al. — Journal of forensic sciences (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41923304/
- 5.
The Dallas Consensus for performing and interpreting functional lumen imaging probe panometry: what it means for the clinician.
Nguyen Anh D — Current opinion in gastroenterology (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41919517/
Clinical Trials — Currently Recruiting (Australia)
Ask your doctor whether you or your child may be eligible for any of these trials.
- 1.
Rare Disease Patient Registry & Natural History Study - Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford
Recruiting — Sanford Health
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01793168
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Achalasia
Achalasia is a rare disorder of the oesophagus that makes it difficult to swallow food and liquids. It occurs when the nerves in the oesophagus become damaged, preventing normal muscle movement and lower sphincter relaxation. Treatment options include endoscopic and surgical procedures, with active research into long-term outcomes.
Most Recent Research
GOAL: To determine the risk factors associated with post-per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). BACKGROUND: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has become a standard treatment for achalasia, but post-procedure GERD remains a significant clinical concern. Current studies lack consistency in defining risk factors for GERD postprocedurally. STUDY: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent POEM at a tertiary-care center over a 10-year period. Demographic, clinical, manometric, endoscopic, and procedural data were collected. A binary logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of GERD symptoms or acid-reducing medicine post-POEM. RESULTS: Of 296 patients (53.4% male; mean age: 57±18 y; mean BMI: 27.4±6.4), most had type II achalasia (54%). Procedures were primarily performed by one gastroenterologist (93.2%) using an anterolateral approach (93.2%). Eckardt scores significantly improved post-procedure. Independent predictors of post-POEM GERD symptoms or medication use included older age (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.04; P=0.03), smoking history (OR: 2.66; 95% CI: 1.17-6.05; P=0.01), post-POEM BMI increase (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.05-5.94; P=0.03), full-thickness myotomy (OR: 6.85; 95% CI: 2.09-22.37; P=0.001), and nonachalasia indication (OR: 9.88; 95% CI: 1.09-88.96; P=0.04). De novo GERD was observed in 29 patients (9.7%), with smoking (OR: 41.38, 95% CI: 2.54-673.71, P<0.01) and full-thickness myotomy (24.1% vs. 5.9%, P<0.01) as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Post-POEM GERD represents a heterogeneous group. Older age, smoking history, nonachalasia diagnosis, full-thickness myotomy, and postprocedure weight gain increase GERD risk. The results of this study require further validation through multicenter collaboration.
This information is for general awareness only.
For guidance specific to your situation, please speak with your healthcare team.