Clinical efficacy of modified peroral endoscopic myotomy in the treatment of 51 cases of achalasia / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the effects of modified peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) on esophageal dynamics and clinical efficacy in achalasia (AC) patients.Methods:From January 2013 to December 2014, 51 patients diagnosed with AC and received modified POEM at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively enrolled. AC patients were classified as type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ according to Chicago classification. The changes of esophageal dynamics before and after the modified POEM were compared by high resolution manometry (HRM). The reflux after the operation was evaluated by 24-hour esophageal impedance-pH monitoring. The clinical symptoms and the quality of life of AC patients were assessed by impaction dysphagia questionnaire (IDQ), Eckardt scale and short-form 36 item health survey (SF-36). Paired t test, independent sample t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results:At three months and one year after operation, lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) and integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) were all lower than those before operation ((23.89±12.68) and (23.44±12.56) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) vs. (39.29±16.14) mmHg; (16.13±9.43) and (15.37±8.36) mmHg vs. (30.57±11.31) mmHg), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=7.520, 7.866, 7.641 and 8.909, all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in LESP and IRP during the same period between patients with type Ⅰ AC and type Ⅱ AC (all P>0.05). The LESP of patients with partial esophageal peristalsis function recovered one year after operation was lower than that of patients with unrecovered esophageal peristalsis function ((15.38±4.54) mmHg vs. (25.65±13.19) mmHg), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=0.039, P<0.05). The proportions of pathologic acid reflux of AC patients at three months and one year after operation were 7.8%(4/51) and 2.0%(1/51), respectively. The IDQ and Eckardt scores of patients with AC at three months and one year after operation were both lower than those before operation (4 points, 0 points to 10 points and 4 points, 0 points to 11 points vs. 23 points, 18 points to 30 points; 2 points, 1 points to 3 points and 1 points, 0 points to 1 points vs. 5 points, 4 points to 5 points), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-6.036, -6.104, -5.971 and -6.209, all P<0.01). According to Eckardt score, the proportions of clinical remission at three months and one year after operation were higher than that before operation (98.0%, 50/51 and 100.0%, 51/51 vs. 19.6%, 10/51), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=64.76 and 68.56, both P<0.05). The SF-36 general health and social function scores at three months and one year after operation were both higher than those before operation (0.55 points, 0.45 points to 0.70 points and 0.55 points, 0.45 points to 0.70 points vs. 0.45 points, 0.30 points to 0.55 points; 0.88 points, 0.75 points to 1.00 points and 0.88 points, 0.75 points to 1.12 points vs. 0.75 points, 0.75 points to 1.00 points); and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-4.439, -4.225, -2.123 and -2.320, all P<0.05); and the health change scores were lower than those before operation (3.00 points, 2.00 points to 3.00 points and 2.00 points, 1.00 points to 3.00 points vs. 4.00 points, 3.00 points to 4.00 points), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-4.827 and -4.841, both P<0.05). Before and after modified POEM, the changes of LESP were positively correlated with the changes of IRP ( r=0.624 and 0.592, both P<0.01). Conclusion:Modified POEM can significantly improve the symptoms and LES relaxation function of AC patients, with a low incidence of post-operative reflux.