title: Esophageal achalasia 2011: pneumatic dilatation or laparoscopic myotomy?
abstract: This article reviews the changes that have taken place in the treatment of patients with achalasia in the last 20 years. It compares and contrasts treatment preferences in the USA with those of Canada and Europe. It provides a critical analysis of the recent randomized trial between laparoscopic Heller myotomy and pneumatic dilatation that was carried out in several European centers. It supports the use of laparoscopic Heller myotomy as the preferred treatment for the average patient with this disease in the USA.
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Marco G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002404:Catheterization; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D049630:Esophageal Sphincter, Lower / Q000601:surgery*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D014481:United States