INTRODUCTION Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been considered as a minimal-invasive, innovative technique for long-term treatment of all types of esophageal achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS We report on 20 consecutive Greek patients with manometrically proved esophageal achalasia (14 patients with type I, 4 with type II, 2 with type III, and 4 with ...

BACKGROUND Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a novel endoscopic technique for the treatment of achalasia. However, there are POEM-associated complications, the most common of which being gas-related. The aim of the current study was to determine the occurrence of and risk factors for gas-related complications of POEM in patients with achalasia. METHODS Retrospective analyses were performed...

Background/Aims We evaluated whether manometric subtype is associated with treatment outcome in patients with achalasia treated by peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). Methods High-resolution manometry data and Eckardt scores were collected from 83 cases at two tertiary referral centers where POEM is performed. Manometric tracings were classified according to the three Chicago subtypes. Resul...

Background and Aim Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a technically demanding procedure. Recently, a new triangular knife with integrated water jet function (TTJ) has been introduced. The present study was aimed to analyze and compare the operating time, efficacy, and adverse events (AEs) between the conventional (TT knife) and new knife (TTJ). Patients and Methods All patients with achalas...

PURPOSE To assess the short-term efficacy and quality of life (QOL) of patients with achalasia after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). METHODS Thirty-five achalasia patients underwent POEM from May 2013 to December 2013. The data on clinical evaluation and QOL before therapy, at 1 month and 6 months postoperation were collected and analyzed. RESULTS All the thirty-five patients underwent P...

Dr. Elisha Perkins' "metallic points to relieve pain"* began their career in Connecticut in 1795. During the following decade they were the subject of intense controversy both here and abroad. In the literature that sprang up about Perkinism there were two long, satirical poems: one lauded the "points," the other derided them. The laudatory poem was published in London in 1803 by Thomas Green F...

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and aperistalsis of the esophageal body. Treatment of achalasia is aimed at decreasing the resting pressure in the LES. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), derived from natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and advances in endoscopic submucosal dissection ...

The lineage affinity of 57 cases of acute unclassified leukemias (AUL) was reevaluated by ultrastructural analysis of peroxidase expression (POEM) in combination with immunophenotyping and analysis of immunoglobulin gene configuration. Twenty-three cases of myeloid and three cases of megakaryocytic differentiation were identified by detection of ultrastructural myeloperoxidase (UMPO) and platel...