Infantile Achalasia Cardia.

Background:　　Achalasia is extremely rare in infants. Case characteristics:　We report three infants of age 9, 7 and 12 months, who presented with recurrent non-bilious vomiting, repeated chest infection and severe failure to thrive. Diagnosis of achalasia cardia was confirmed on contrast-swallow study. Heller’s cardiomyotomy with fundoplication led to complete symptomatic relief, and weight-gain on follow-up. Message: Achalasia cardia is often misdiagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease which leads to significant delay in diagnosis and increased morbidity.

Prevalence of gallstones in 1,229 patients submitted to surgical laparoscopic treatment of GERD and esophageal achalasia: associated cholecystectomy was a safe procedure / Prevalência de colelitíase em 1.229 pacientes submetidos ao tratamento cirúrgico laparoscópico de DRGE e megaesôfago: a colecistectomia associada mostra-se segura

BACKGROUND: Association between esophageal achalasia/ gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and cholelithiasis is not clear. Epidemiological data are controversial due to different methodologies applied, the regional differences and the number of patients involved. Results of concomitant cholecistectomy associated to surgical treatment of both diseases regarding safety is poorly understood. AIM: To analyze the prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients with esophageal achalasia and gastroesophageal reflux submitted to cardiomyotomy or fundoplication. Also, to evaluate the safety of concomitant cholecistectomy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 1410 patients operated from 2000 to 2013. They were divided into two groups: patients with GERD submitted to laparocopic hiatoplasty plus Nissen fundoplication and patients with esophageal achalasia to laparoscopic cardiomyotomy plus partial fundoplication. It was collected epidemiological data, specific diagnosis and subgroups, the presence or absence of gallstones, surgical procedure, operative and clinical complications and mortality. All groups/subgroups were compared. RESULTS: From 1,229 patients with GERD or esophageal achalasia, submitted to laparoscopic cardiomyotomy or fundoplication, 138 (11.43%) had cholelitiasis, occurring more in females (2.38:1) with mean age of 50,27 years old. In 604 patients with GERD, 79 (13,08%) had cholelitiasis. Lower prevalence occurred in Barrett's esophagus patients 7/105 (6.67%) (p=0.037). In 625 with esophageal achalasia, 59 (9.44%) had cholelitiasis, with no difference between chagasic and idiopathic forms (p=0.677). Complications of patients with or without cholecystectomy were similar in fundoplication and cardiomyotomy (p=0.78 and p=1.00).There was no mortality or complications related to cholecystectomy in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of cholelithiasis was higher in patients submitted to fundoplication (GERD). Patients with chagasic or idiopatic ...

RACIONAL: São controversas as relações entre megaesôfago e doença do refluxo gastroesofágico (DRGE) com colelitíase, especialmente a forma mais adequada de conduzir pacientes com ambas. Dados epidemiológicos são díspares devido às diversas metodologias aplicadas, às diferenças regionais e à quantidade de pacientes envolvidos. OBJETIVO: Estudar a prevalência de colelitíase em pacientes submetidos às operações de refluxo gastroesofágico e megaesôfago (chagásicos ou não) e a segurança da colecistectomia estar associada. MÉTODO: Análise retrospectiva de 1410 pacientes operados entre 2000 e 2013. Eles foram divididos em dois grupos: os com DRGE e operados por hiatoplastia/fundoplicatura a Nissen laparoscópicas e os com acalásia por cardiomiotomia e fundoplicatura parcial laparoscópicas. Foram coletados dados epidemiológicos, diagnóstico, a presença ou não de litiase biliar, tratamento cirúrgico efetuado, complicações clínicas ou cirúrgicas e mortalidade. Todos os grupos e subgrupos foram comparados. RESULTADOS: Foram estudados 1229 pacientes portadores de megaesôfago e/ou DRGE, operados por fundoplicatura com hiatoplastia, nos casos de DRGE, e cardiomiectomia com fundoplicatura, nos casos de megaesôfago, no período de 2000 a 2013, verificando-se presença de colelítiase ou colecistectomia prévia. A colelítiase ocorreu mais no sexo feminino (2,38:1) e na faixa etária entre os 50 e 70 anos. A prevalência global foi de 11,43%; 13,08% na DRGE, menor nos portadores de esôfago de Barrett (6,67%) sendo a diferença significativa (p=0,037); e 9,44% no megaesôfago, não havendo diferença significativa entre os chagásicos e os idiopáticos (p=0,677). Não houve mortalidade ou complicações relacionadas à colecistectomia nesta série. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência de colelitíase é maior nos pacientes com DRGE do que nos com megaesôfago. Não há diferenças na prevalência de colelitíase nos pacientes com megaesôfago chagásico e não chagásico. É mais frequente litíase ...

Results of the surgical treatment of non-advanced megaesophagus using Heller-Pinotti's surgery: Laparotomy vs. Laparoscopy

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia is the important symptom in achalasia, and surgery is the most common treatment. The Heller-Pinotti technique is the method preferred by Brazilian surgeons. For many years, this technique was performed by laparotomy, and now the laparoscopic method has been introduced. The objective was to evaluate the immediate and long-term results of patients submitted to surgery by either laparotomy or laparoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 67 patients submitted to surgery between 1994 and 2001 with at least 5 years of follow-up were evaluated retrospectively and divided into two groups: laparotomy (41 patients) and laparoscopy (26 patients). Chagas was the etiology in 76.12 percent of cases. Dysphagia was evaluated according to the classification defined by Saeed et al. RESULTS: There were no cases of conversion to open surgery. The mean duration of hospitalization was 3.32 days for laparotomy and 2.54 days for laparoscopy (p<0.05). An improvement in dysphagia occurred with both groups reporting good or excellent results (laparotomy: 73.17 percent and laparoscopy: 73.08 percent). Mean duration of follow-up was 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference between the two groups with respect to relief from dysphagia, thereby confirming the safety and effectiveness of the Heller-Pinotti technique, which can be performed by laparotomy or laparoscopy, depending on the surgeon's experience.

O megaesôfago tratado cirurgicamente: perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes operados no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas entre 1989 e 2005 / Surgically treated megaesophagus: epidemiological profile of patients operated in the Clinical Hospital of the State University of Campinas between 1989 and 2005

O megaesôfago é uma das manifestações da doença de Chagas, cujo tratamento cirúrgico ó o que apresenta melhores resultados. Neste estudo retrospectivo, avaliou-se o perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes operados no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade de Campinas entre 1989 e 2005, quanto a: naturalidade e procedência, provável local de contágio, idade, grau do megaesôfago, etiologia, duração da disfagia e sua evolução, outras doenças associadas e modalidade cirúrgica adotada. O método foi a análise de 390 prontuários desses doentes, junto ao Serviço de Arquivo Médico do Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade de Campinas. Os resultados permitiram estabelecer: as regiões endêmicas dos pacientes chagásicos atendidos nesse Serviço, a naturalidade/procedência e a caracterização do grupo. Após análise detalhada, foram obtidas a média de idade = 47 anos, e a duração média da disfagia = 9,47 anos. Observa-se que: a) em 84,4 por cento dos pacientes a disfagia instalou-se progressivamente; b) 306 (78,5 por cento) pacientes apresentaram etiologia chagásica; c) em 48 por cento deles, houve prevalência do grau 2 (48 por cento); d) 89,8 por cento dos pacientes foram submetidos à cardiomiotomia; e) houve associações freqüentes a gastrites, esofagites, megacólon, hipertensão arterial e cardiopatias.

Megaesophagus is one of the manifestations of Chagas disease and surgical treatment is the approach that presents the best results. In this retrospective study, the epidemiological profile of patients operated in the Clinical Hospital of University of Campinas between 1989 and 2005 was evaluated with regard to: place of birth, place of residence, probable place of infection, age, degree of megaesophagus, etiology, duration and evolution of dysphagia, other diseases in association and the type of surgery chosen. The method used was to analyze the 390 medical files of these patients, at the hospital’s medical archive service. The results made it possible to establish the endemic regions, place of birth and place of residence of the patients with Chagas disease attended at our clinic, and to characterize the group. After detailed analysis, it was found that the mean age was 47 years and the mean duration of dysphagia was 9.47 years. It was observed that: a) in 84.4 percent of the patients, dysphagia took hold progressively; b) 306 (78.5 percent) patients presented Chagas disease etiology; c) grade 2 was prevalent in 48 percent; d) 89.8 percent of the patients underwent cardiomyotomy; and e) there were frequent associations with gastritis, esophagitis, megacolon, arterial hypertension and cardiopathy.

Necrose da mucosa esofágica como complicação da cardiomiotomia à heller para tratamento de megaesôfago chagásico / Necrosis of esophageal mucosa as a heller cardiomyotomy complication in the treatment of achalasia in chagas' disease

This article presents a complication of the laparoscopic technique for Heller cardiomyotomy and anterior fundoplication. This procedure is safe and provides excellent relief of disphagia in esophageal achalasia. Nevertheless, there are rare but dangerous complications, such as late active digestive bleeding, presented in this paper which was resistant to conservative treatment and led to hypovolemic shock. Urgent laparotomy performed to identify and control bleeding, revealed necrosis of esophageal mucosa with a bleeding gastric vessel. Inadequate exposure of the gastroesophageal junction and an incision very close to the lesser curvature might have damaged the esophageal branches of the left gastric artery, leading to ischemic necrosis of the mucosa and exposure of the gastric wall and its vessels.