Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Achalasia

Daniel Hashimoto; Ozanan R Meireles, MD; David Rattner, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Impaired transit of food and liquid from the esophagus to the stomach results in symptoms of dysphagia, regurgitation, retrosternal fullness/pain, and weight loss. Symptoms can be managed with a range of medical or procedural therapy. However, the best results are obtained from surgical management with myotomy. Here, Drs. Rattner, Meireles, and Hashimoto at MGH perform and demonstrate a peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), which emerged as a less invasive manner through which to perform a myotomy and provides relief of dysphagia comparable to laparoscopic Heller myotomy – the current standard of surgical therapy for achalasia.