title: Causes and treatments of achalasia, and primary disorders of the esophageal body.
abstract: The following on achalasia and disorders of the esophageal body includes commentaries on controversies regarding whether patients with complete lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation can be considered to exhibit early achalasia; the roles of different mucle components of the LES in achalasia; sensory neural pathways impaired in achalasia; indications for peroral endoscopic myotomy and advantages of the technique over laparoscopic and thorascopic myotomy; factors contributing to the success of surgical therapy for achalasia; modifications to the classification of esophageal body primary motility disorders in the advent of high-resolution manometry (HRM); analysis of the LES in differentiating between achalasia and diffuse esophageal spasm (DES); and appropriate treatment for DES, nutcracker esophagus (NE), and hypertensive LES (HTLES).
authors.affiliation: FMUSP and Nucleus of General and Specialized Surgery, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valter Nilton
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: DeVault
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano and Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Penagini
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano and Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elvevi
authors.affiliation: The Oregon Clinic GI/MIS, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Swanstrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Eelco
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wassenaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Oscar M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Crespin
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000503:physiopathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008365:Manometry
keywords: GERD; achalasia; esophogastric junction; nutcracker esophagus; relaxation; swallowing