title: Morbid obesity with achalasia: a surgical challenge.
abstract: Achalasia is a relatively rare medical condition that is classically not associated with obesity. The surgical treatment of a simultaneous occurrence of these two diseases requires careful consideration, and only a few reports can be found in the literature combining a Heller myotomy with gastric bypass, duodenal switch, or gastric banding. We report the case of a 69-year-old female patient with early achalasia and obesity who underwent simultaneous laparoscopic gastric sleeve resection and robotic Heller myotomy. No intra- or postoperative complications occurred. A follow-up at 6 weeks showed a significant weight loss and resolved symptoms of achalasia. The case illustrates that a simultaneous gastric sleeve resection and robotic Heller myotomy might be an option for the treatment of concurrent obesity and achalasia.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Future of Surgery, Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. monikahagen@aol.com
authors.forename: Monika E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Micheal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sedrak
authors.forename: Oliver J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Garth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Talamini
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horgan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012371:Robotics