title: [Esophageal resection in treatment of achalasia. 4 case reports and review of the literature].
abstract: In the time period between 1985 and June 2001, four of 81 patients diagnosed with achalasia were surgically treated by means of transhiatal esophageal resection. Replacement with stomach and cervical anastomosis was performed in three patients aged 8, 19, and 27 years, respectively, after initial myotomy. In one case, the esophagus resection was the primary surgical measure and the colon was used as the replacement. The preoperative symptoms of the four patients showed improvement 51, 34, 15, and 8 months after the operation, respectively. Dysphagia and regurgitation no longer occurred. One patient died 4.5 years after esophageal resection due to ulcerous bleeding of the distal redundant colon interposition. In accordance with other studies investigating serious swallowing disorders, it could be shown that transhiatal resection with esophagus-replacement through stomach pull-up can lead to symptom-relief as well as an improvement in the quality of living.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Allgemein- und Abdominalchirurgie, Klinikum der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kneist
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sultanov
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Eckardt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Junginger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002648:Child; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery