Esophageal Motility Disorders

Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus in which the muscular valve between the esophagus and the stomach fails to relax, and the body of the esophagus loses its normal coordinated squeezing movement. People with achalasia have difficulty swallowing both solids and liquids, bring up undigested food, may have chest pain, and often lose weight. None of the available treatments cures the disease; all of them work by reducing the resistance at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach so that food and liquid can pass more easily. Two established treatments do this by cutting the muscle of the valve (a myotomy). Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with a Dor anterior partial fundoplication (LHM + Dor) is performed through small abdominal incisions and includes a wrap of the stomach designed to limit acid reflux afterwards. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) achieves the same muscle division from inside the esophagus through a tunnel created under the lining, with no skin incisions and no anti-reflux wrap. POEM allows a longer, tailored myotomy, which may be an advantage in the spastic (type III) form of the disease, but reflux after the procedure is more common because no wrap is performed. This trial will randomly assign 220 adults with newly diagnosed, previously untreated achalasia, in equal numbers, to receive either POEM or LHM + Dor. Randomization will be stratified by achalasia subtype (Chicago Classification type I or II versus type III). The main question is whether POEM controls symptoms about as well as LHM + Dor, so the trial is designed as a non-inferiority study with a pre-specified margin of 12.5 percentage points. The primary outcome is clinical success at 12 months, defined as an Eckardt symptom score of 3 or less without any further treatment for achalasia. Participants will be assessed before treatment and again at 30 days and at 3, 6 and 12 months. Assessments include the Eckardt symptom score, reflux symptoms and quality of life, upper endoscopy, high-resolution manometry, timed barium esophagram and, at 3 months, 24-hour pH-impedance testing to measure acid reflux objectively. Complications will be graded using the Clavien-Dindo classification for surgical events and the AGREE classification for endoscopic events. Because one treatment is endoscopic and the other is laparoscopic, neither the participants nor the operators can be masked. To protect against biased outcome assessment, the investigators reporting manometry, endoscopy, barium studies and pH-impedance, the trial statistician and the endpoint adjudication committee will all be masked to treatment allocation. The trial will be conducted at Minia University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt, with provision for expansion to additional tertiary centers under a common standard-operating-procedure manual.

This is a prospective, single-center, crossover study comparing EndoFLIP measurements obtained in two patient positions, supine and left lateral decubitus, in pediatric and young adult patients. The Endoluminal Functional Lumen Imaging Probe (EndoFLIP) is an FDA-approved device for patients aged 5 and older that utilizes high-resolution impedance planimetry and volume-controlled distension to assess esophagogastric junction function. Currently, no standardized positioning protocol exists, and proceduralists perform EndoFLIP based on individual preference, either supine or left lateral decubitus. This variability may introduce measurement inconsistencies, particularly when comparing preoperative and postoperative assessments performed in different positions.

The hypothesis of this study is that esophageal and gastric dysmotility increase the risk of developing aspiration-associated symptoms in children with neurologic impairment. The investigators are conducting a ten week cross over study comparing prucalopride to famotidine for the treatment of aspiration-associated symptoms.

This study is a prospective registry designed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, safety, and effectiveness of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) performed using the Speedboat UltraSlim™ device in patients with achalasia or other esophageal motility disorders. Participants included in this registry are those undergoing clinically indicated POEM as part of standard of care. No experimental interventions will be performed as part of this study. Patients will be approached for participation after the clinical decision to perform POEM has already been made. Data will be collected through review of electronic medical records and procedural documentation, including patient demographics, procedural details, and clinical outcomes. Follow-up data will be collected at predefined time points (e.g., 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, and up to 1 year) to assess symptom improvement, procedural success, and adverse events. The primary objective of the study is to assess technical success, clinical success, and safety outcomes associated with the use of the Speedboat UltraSlim™ device during POEM procedures. This registry poses minimal risk to participants, as all procedures are performed as part of routine clinical care. No additional interventions beyond standard care are required for participation.

This is a combined retro- and prospective, monocentric study. All patients who underwent or are planned for laparoscopic partial fundoplication (180° anterior or 270° posterior) between 2020-2023 are assessed for preoperative ineffective esophageal motility (IEM). The main hypothesis is, that preoperative oesophageal motility disorders, especially hypo-contractility or failed peristalsis, are caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux. Therefore, postoperative manometry after partial wrap fundoplication (270° posterior, 180° anterior) shows a decrease in comparison to preoperative motility disorders. The primary objective of this study is to examine the postoperative esophageal motility in patients with known preoperative motility disorders. Secondary endpoints are the presence of other oesophageal motility disorders pre- vs. postoperatively (including new onset disorders), the assessment of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) pre- vs. postoperatively, and more. If IEM is present preoperatively, patients are contacted at least 1 year after surgery and will be informed about the study and asked to participate. In case of agreement, they are invited to the study site. They undergo high-resolution manometry 18-24 months postoperatively (study intervention).

Esophageal motility disorders (EMDs) encompass a spectrum of conditions characterized by abnormal movement and coordination of the esophagus, leading to symptoms such as dysphagia, chest pain, regurgitation, and heartburn . These symptoms can severely impact quality of life, often requiring detailed diagnostic evaluations for appropriate management . High-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) has emerged as a critical diagnostic tool, providing comprehensive assessments of esophageal motility and improving our understanding of the pathophysiology behind EMDs . The advancements in HRM technology have significantly enhanced diagnostic accuracy, leading to more effective treatment strategies. The Chicago Classification (CC) was introduced to standardize the interpretation of HRM findings and facilitate communication among clinicians. Since its inception in 2009, the classification has undergone several updates to reflect ongoing advancements. The most recent update, Chicago Classification version 4.0 (CC v4.0), resulted from two years of collaboration by an international working group of motility experts . This version places a greater emphasis on clinical relevance, refining diagnostic criteria to include standardized assessments in both the supine and upright positions, as well as the use of provocative maneuvers to provide a more thorough evaluation of esophageal function . These enhancements aim to improve the understanding and diagnosis of complex motility disorders Although CC version 3.0 (CC v3.0) has been widely utilized, it has limitations that CC v4.0 effectively addresses to enhance esophageal motility testing. By requiring assessments in both supine and upright positions, CC v4.0 captures motility abnormalities in more physiologically relevant conditions, The inclusion of provocative testing methods, such as multiple rapid swallows (MRS) and solid swallows, further increases sensitivity for detecting disorders under stress. Moreover, CC v4.0 offers a comprehensive analysis of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) function, introducing criteria for EGJ outflow obstruction and EGJ typing, which clarify interactions with the lower esophageal sphincter . This updated framework also emphasizes bolus transit and metrics for fragmented peristalsis, facilitating the identification of subtle motility issues that may impact bolus clearance In Egypt, the majority of manometric devices are configured to automatically interpret results using CC v3.0, limiting the integration of newer diagnostic criteria. By manually applying CC v4.0 in this study, we seek to determine whether its updated metrics offer enhanced diagnostic precision and a better correlation with clinical symptoms.