title: Comparison and cost analysis of different treatment strategies in achalasia.
abstract: Currently there are three acceptable long-term treatments of achalasia: pneumatic dilatation, laparoscopic Heller myotomy, and botulinum toxin injection. Primarily retrospective studies suggest equal efficacy of pneumatic dilatation and surgical myotomy, especially in centers with expertise in both treatments. Randomized prospective studies find pneumatic dilatation superior to botulinum toxin because of the need for serial frequent treatments with the latter therapy. All cost analysis studies support the superiority of pneumatic dilatation over the two other treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Center for Swallowing and Esophageal Disoroders, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D004106:Dilatation / Q000191:economics*; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000191:economics*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A