Peroral endoscopic myotomy for the treatment of achalasia: an international prospective multicenter study

Abstract

Pilot studies have indicated that peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) might be a safe and effective treatment for achalasia. We performed a prospective, international, multicenter study to determine the outcomes of 70 patients who underwent POEM at 5 centers in Europe and North America. Three months after POEM, 97% of patients were in symptom remission (95% confidence interval, 89%-99%); symptom scores were reduced from 7 to 1 (P < .001) and lower esophageal sphincter pressures were reduced from 28 to 9 mm Hg (P < .001). The percentage of patients in symptom remission at 6 and 12 months was 89% and 82%, respectively. POEM was found to be an effective treatment for achalasia after a mean follow-up period of 10 months.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01405417.

Keywords: BTI; EBD; Endoscopic Therapy; Esophageal Motility Disorder; LES; LHM; POEM; PPI; Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy; botulinum toxin injection; endoscopic balloon dilatation; laparoscopic Heller myotomy; lower esophageal sphincter; peroral endoscopic myotomy; proton pump inhibitor.