title: Achalasia: an unusual cause of airway obstruction.
abstract: Achalasia is a disorder of the lower oesophageal sphincter and the smooth musculature of the oesophageal body. Although oesophageal obstruction is common, concurrent airway obstruction is exceptional. A case is presented of a 79-year-old woman admitted to the emergency department requiring intubation following out-of-hospital airway obstruction and subsequent respiratory arrest.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK. scbruijns@googlemail.com
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bruijns
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography