Reintervention After Heller Myotomy for Achalasia: Is It Inevitable?

Abstract

Background: Few studies of reintervention after Heller myotomy for achalasia set patients' expectations, assist therapeutic decision making, and direct follow-up. Therefore, we investigated the frequency and type of symptoms and reinterventions after myotomy based on achalasia type.

Methods: From January 2006 to March 2013, 248 patients who had preoperative high-resolution manometry and a timed barium esophagram (TBE) underwent Heller myotomy, 62 (25%) for type I, 162 (65%) for type II, and 24 (10%) for type III achalasia. Postoperative surveillance, including TBE, was performed at 8 weeks, then annually. Median follow-up was 36 months. End points were all symptom types and modes of reintervention, endoscopic or surgical. Reintervention was based on both symptoms and objective TBE measurements.

Results: Eventually most patients (169 of 218; 69%) experienced at least one symptom after myotomy. Fifty patients underwent 85 reinterventions, 41 endoscopic only, 4 surgical only, and 5 both. Five-year freedom from reintervention was 62% for type I, 74% for type II, and 87% for type III, most occurring within 6 months, although later in type III. At 5 years, number of reinterventions per 100 patients was 72 for type I, 51 for type II, and 13 for type III. After each reintervention, there was approximately a 50% chance of another within 2 years.

Conclusions: Patients' expectations when undergoing Heller myotomy for achalasia must be that symptoms will only be palliated, and patients who have worse esophageal function-achalasia type I-may require one or more postoperative reinterventions. Thus, we recommend that patients with achalasia have lifelong annual surveillance after Heller myotomy that includes TBE.