Achalasia Diagnosis and Treatment

 Each chapter describes a very specific aspect of Achalasia by its known expert. Current diagnostic and management strategies of Achalasia, as well as the simplified operative approaches with relevant technical considerations, are outlined for the specific target audience.

The treatment of Achalasia is complex and usually performed in specialized tertiary-care centres. The Editors' main goal is to render this disease more understandable and accessible to residents, fellows, and specialists in both the surgical disciplines (general surgery and thoracic surgery) and in gastroenterology.

1.  A one hundred year journey: the history of surgery for esophageal achalasia.- 2. Pathophysiology of Achalasia.- 3. Clinical Presentation and diagnostic evaluation.- 4. Achalasia and Chagas Disease.- 5. Botulinum Toxin Injection.- 6. Pneumatic dilatation.- 7. Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM).- 8. Heller Mytotomy for Achalasia: From the Thoracoscopic to the Laparoscopic Approach.- 9. Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy and Fundoplication: What Type?.- 10. Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy and Dor Fundoplication.- 11. Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy with Toupet Partial Posterior Fundoplication.- 12. Achalasia and Epiphrenic Diverticulum.- 13. Thoracoscopic Treatment of Epiphrenic Diverticula Associated with Achalasia.- 14. The Surgical Management of Achalasia in the Morbid Obese Patient.- 15. Treatment of Achalasia in the Patient with Dilated Esophagus.- 16. Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Recurrent Dysphagia after Heller Myotomy.- 17. Esophagectomy for End Stage Achalasia.- 18. Achalasia and Eating Disorders.- 19. Achalasia in the Pediatric Population.