Active clinical trials for "Esophageal Achalasia"

Achalasia is a rare esophageal motility disorder. Treatment of achalasia is aimed toward palliation of symptoms. These include botox injections to the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), pneumatic dilation, surgical myotomy, and per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). Botox injections are frequently used for patients that have significant comorbidities. The primary aim of this study is to assess symptomatic response of patient with achalasia to esophageal dilation and botox injection to the LES compared to standard therapy of only botox injection.

Evaluation of current and newly developed endoluminal therapies in the management of Upper and Lower GI conditions.

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motility disorder characterized on high-resolution manometry (HRM) studies by 100% failed peristalsis and elevated integrated relaxation pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter. It is further divided into 3 sub-types according to the Chicago classification v3.01. The pathophysiology of achalasia is poorly understood; however, the NGEU is increasingly recognized as playing a key role in the development of this disorder. Similarly, the esophageal muscle tissue is probably involved, but its sampling remained challenging until the recent advent of the POEM procedure. Indeed, it is now possible, easy and safe to take biopsies of the muscle tissue during POEM. Therefore, POEM not only represents an innovative and effective treatment for achalasia, but also an opportunity to better understand its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Currently available treatments for achalasia (pneumatic dilation (PD), Heller's myotomy (HM), botox injections, POEM) are "palliative" procedures that do not restore normal contractile function of the esophagus, but a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disorder could potentially help developing curative, or even preventative treatments. To date, muscle tissue sampled during a POEM has only been characterized qualitatively (normal, atrophic, hypertrophic) with no assessment of the enteric nervous system. Moreover, there has been no studies of the mucosal or NGEU anomalies on biopsies taken during a minimally invasive procedure for achalasia such as a POEM. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the assessment of NGEU and esophageal muscle tissue in biopsies taken during a POEM for achalasia. It also aims to determine whether specific biomarkers within the NGEU and muscle tissue can predict a better therapeutic response to a POEM. The goal is to include 30 patients within 12 months. Given that approximately 100 new cases of achalasia are diagnosed each year at the included centers, and that about 50% of treatment-naive patients are offered and accept to undergo a POEM, recruitment should be completed relatively rapidly. All POEMs will be performed at the CHU de Nantes by a single endoscopist who has already performed more than 100 procedures. Other than the complications related to the POEM itself, the addition of 14 esophageal biopsies required for our study is a very low-risk intervention. Biopsy sampling extends the length of the procedure by only 4-5 minutes and has not been associated with an increased risk of complications in a previous study. Patients will be evaluated at five time points: preinclusion visit (up to four months before the POEM), inclusion visit (day of the POEM), post-POEM phone calls (3-6, 9-12, 22-26 months after POEM). During the preinclusion visit, relevant information regarding inclusion/exclusion criteria, consent, HRM and pH impedance results, past medical history, and pregnancy status (if applicable) will be gathered. At each time point, current medical history, Eckhardt score2 and pH impedance results (if available) will be documented. The patient will also answer the quality of life (SF36)3 and nutritional status questionnaires and will undergo blood sampling for albumin and prealbumin levels. Additionally, on the day of the POEM, there will be another blood sampling for complete blood count, PT, APTT, serum electrolytes and CRP level. Finally, at each post-POEM phone calls, the occurrence of adverse events will be reported. Our primary hypothesis is that the analysis of mucosal and muscle tissue biopsies taken safely during a POEM will allow better characterization of transcriptomic and molecular remodeling of the mucosa (especially the NGEU) and the muscularis propria in achalasia. We also hypothesize that these anomalies could eventually serve as treatment targets and as a way of better stratifying patients according to achalasia type and treatment (in our case, POEM) response.

Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM); comparison of two surgical techniques division all the esophageal muscle layers versus division the inner circular muscle layer of the esophagus only.

Back ground: Achalasia Cardia (AC) manifests with major symptom dysphagia. Surgery as the treatment modality relieves dysphagia in most of the patients. Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy(LHM) is the surgery of choice but is associated with gastroesophageal reflux. Anterior fundoplication (Dor Fundoplication) is usually combined with LHM in patients with AC. It reduces gastroesophageal reflux following LHM. It has been observed that along with reduction of gastroesophageal reflux Dor Fundoplication also affects relief of dysphagia. But it has not been prospectively studied. Hypothesis:The hypothesis of present study is that "Frequency of dysphagia following Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy with Dor fundoplication is more than that compared to Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy alone in patients with Achalasia Cardia". Methods: From December2017 to November 2018 minimum of 20 patients with diagnosis of Achalasia cardia will be randomized to receive either Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM) alone or LHM with Dor fundoplication. Symptomatic outcomes would be assessed using frequency of dysphagia and Eckardt's score. . Outcomes: Primary outcome is Frequency of dysphagia and secondary outcome is manometry pressure assessment. Statistical analysis would be done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) soft ware. P value < 0.05 is considered significant.

Patient with achalasia have a 10-50 fold increased risk to develop esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Early diagnosis of ESCC is essential, and detection of an earlier dysplastic stage is preferred. Endoscopic detection is however difficult and often delayed. Chromoendoscopy with Lugol dye increases detection rates dysplasia and ESCC to 91-100%. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate a screening program using chromoendoscopy with Lugol to detect dysplasia in patients with idiopathic achalasia. A second objective is to study the relationship between foodstasis and the development op dysplasia

A total of 100 patients aged 18-60 years with confirmed diagnosis of achalasia cardia will be recruited prospectively. In this study, patients diagnosed with achalasia cardia (prior to per oral endoscopic myotomy treatment) will undergo comprehensive evaluation of their nutritional status. All the participants will be asked about the details enlisted in pre-tested proforma.The evaluation will include demographic data(age, gender, food preferences, socio economic status,underlying diseases such as hypertension diabetes mellitus etc) anthropometric assessment (height, weight, Body Mass Index, weight loss and duration, percentage weight loss, midupperarm circumference , triceps skin fold, hand grip strength) and biochemical assessment (Hemoglobin, serum albumin and serum pre-albumin,total protein, serum Vitamin D, calcium, B12, serum iron). Each patients' dietary habits will be assessed by SUBJECTIVE GLOBAL ASSESMENT questionnaire (weight change, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional capacity, oedema, subcutaneous fat,muscle wasting, ascites.The obtained data will be statistically analyzed and interpreted. As we are in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, we will be taking utmost safety precautions to prevent cross-infection. The doctor performing the study and the accompanying technician will be donning the personal protection equipment all throughout the study.

The goal of this observational study is to learn about hemodynamic and respiratory repercussions during general anesthesia in patients with achalasia or gastroparesis who underwent an endoscopic treatment such as a peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) or gastric (GPOEM). The main questions it aims to answer are: Are there predictable elements reliable to this study-population for the occurrence of adverse events/complications? Is there a correlation between the value (percutaneous puncture) of the intra-abdominal pressure and the variations of the patient's respiratory and hemodynamic parameters in the event of a pneumoperitoneum complication? Participants will be treated with the usual standard of care for this procedure and no additional or specific therapy will be planned for this study.

Achalasia is the most common motility disorder of esophagus, characterized by disorders of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normal peristalsis of the esophagus is eliminated and replaced by synchronous or ineffective contraction. Based on high-resolution manometry (HRM), the participants with achalasia were categorized into 3 subtypes, type I: achalasia with minimum esophageal pressurization, type II: achalasia with esophageal compression and type III: achalasia with spasm. Previous studies have found that the pathological features of the esophageal muscular layers in participants with achalasia are degeneration of nerve plexus, reduction of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and infiltration of different inflammatory cells. Different subtypes of achalasia have different pathological characteristics and esophageal motility. Now, per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a main therapy for participants with achalasia. Most studies have focused on the relationship between pathological features and motility characteristics of achalasia, but there are few studies on the relationship between pathological features and therapeutic effect of POEM. This study will prospectively collect data of participants undergoing POEM for achalasia in Beijing Friendship Hospital, including demographic data, drug and surgical treatment data during hospitalization. All participants are required to obtain esophageal muscle biopsy for pathological examination during POEM. The participants will be followed up until 12 months for improvement in clinical symptoms.

Achalasia is a chronic disease of altered esophageal motility with resulting functional obstruction to the passage of food leading to poor quality of life and significant morbidity. The two main treatments available in the US are endoscopic balloon dilation and surgical myotomy. Each therapy has advantages and drawbacks and at present both are considered a first choice approach depending on patient preferences and local expertise. Surgical myotomy provides long lasting improvement in dysphagia but even when done laparoscopically is invasive and complex. Extensive acid reflux resulting in significant morbidity is routinely seen after surgical myotomy and additional anti-reflux operation is typically done at the time of the myotomy. Endoscopic balloon dilation is a simple minimally invasive outpatient procedure but improvement of symptoms tends to be shorter in duration and repeat dilations are commonly needed. Both therapies improve on dysphagia but tend to provide suboptimal control of chest pain which is one of the cardinal symptoms of achalasia. The peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) was first introduced in Japan to address the suboptimal results with endoscopic balloon dilation and surgical myotomy. POEM is incisionless minimally invasive but in addition may have some further advantages over surgical myotomy including unlimited length of the myotomy with expected better control of chest pain and preservation of the anatomical anti-reflux barrier (angle of His and the cruse of the diaphragm) with expected lower incidence of acid reflux. In Japan POEM has become the preferred modality for therapy of achalasia due to the excellent results and exceptional safety record. In the US, dedicated POEM devices were approved by the FDA just recently. As a result the bulk of the published data comes from Japan and very little is known regarding outcomes in US population. Therefore the investigators want to prospectively record our experience with POEM as done as part of routine medical care in US population. This will be a data recording study. All patients will receive standard medical care and no experimental interventions will be performed.