Improve passage of food into the stomach

Because Achalsia is a disease in which the esophagus has reduced muscle strength to move food into the stomach coupled with failure of the end of esophagus to relax and allow food to enter the stomach, to treatment is divide the muscle at the end of the esophagus that is not relaxing. It is treated by laparoscopic division of the tight muscle at the end of the esophagus.

Laparoscopic esophagomyotomy, with or without fundoplication.

36 hour stay in hospital after surgery.

SIDE EFFECTS - heartburn because of acid reflux brought on by dividing the muscle (can be prevented by adding an anti-reflux operation at the time the tight muscle is divided). COMPLICATIONS - bleeding, perforation of esophagus