High Resolution Manometry - A Mandatory Examination in the Pre and Postoperative Assessment of Patients with Achalasia

Abstract

RezumatManometria esofagiană cu rezoluţie înaltă este actual investigaţia gold-standard în diagnosticul acalaziei şi a bolilor esofagiene funcţionale. Această examinare este întotdeauna precedată de endoscopia digestivă superioară, care are scopul de a face diagnosticul diferenţial al acalaziei cu pseudoacalazia (formaţiuni tumorale de fornix gastric/esofag distal). La momentul actual, nu există tratament curativ pentru acalazie. Însă, cele 3 subtipuri de acalazie (conform clasificării Chicago) au răspuns diferit în ceea ce priveşte eficacitatea în tratamentului ales. Astfel, comparativ cu tipurile I şi III, tipul II de acalazie are cel mai bun răspuns la intervenţiile terapeutice invazive (dilatare pneumatică sau cardiomiotomie Heller). În schimb, în tipul III cardiomiotomia Heller este de ales ca prima abordare terapeutică. Miotomia endoscopică perorală (POEM) este o tehnică relativ recentă, care necesită însă studii pe termen lung în ceea ce priveşte siguranţa şi eficacitatea. Articolul prezent îşi propune să prezinte variantele actuale de tratament ale acalaziei, comparându-le pe baza eficacităţii şi siguranţei pe termen scurt şi lung, subliniind de asemenea rolul manometriei cu rezoluţie înaltă în diagnosticul, alegerea metodei terapeutice şi prognosticul acestor pacienţi. Review ArticleAbstract High resolution manometry (HRM) is currently the gold standard for the diagnosis of achalasia and other functional esophageal disorders. All patients accusing dysphagia should be endoscopically evaluated prior to manometric investigations in order to rule out pseudoachalasia. The Chicago HRM classification has led to a subclassification of three manometric types of achalasia that seem to have different results to treatment. None of the actual achalasia treatment options are curative. Type II achalasia patients respond best to all treatment options compared to those with types I and III. Pneumatic dilation (PD) or Heller miotomy (LHM) can be both chosen as initial therapy in type I and II as they have good outcome , while type III achalasia patients respond better to LHM as a first therapeutic option. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising new technique but long-term follow-up studies for its safety and efficacy must be performed. This article reviews the current therapeutic options in achalasia and other functional esophageal disorders, based on the differences in safety and efficacy between approaches, highlighting the impact of HRM to predict the outcome but also the role of the techinque in guiding antireflux surgery.

Present insight on achalasia – from diagnosis to treatment

“…The Eckardt score allows determination of the intensity of symptoms at baseline, as well as to compare them with postoperative result and establishing the efficacy of treatment. Reduction in the Eckardt symptom score to three, or less, is regarded as a treatment success [37]. Diagnosis.…”

“…Typical findings of conventional manometry were: lack of peristalsis, increased LES pressure with improper relaxation and sometimes elevated intraoesophageal pressure. High-resolution manometry (HRM) was first introduced in 1990 by Clouse and Hebbard; thereafter, it became the gold standard for assessing oesophageal motility and diagnosis of motility disorders [37]. At present, by means of flexible catheter incorporating 36 or more pressure sensors with only 1 cm intervals, HRM allows detailed pressure recording from the pharynx to the stomach as well as to processes the HRM pressure output to generate oesophageal pressure topography plots (EPT) that represent oesophageal motility and LES function on colour-coded, pressure-space-time plots [44].…”