Treatment of Achalasia and Epiphrenic Diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: Epiphrenic diverticulum (ED) is a pulsion pseudodiverticulum found in the distal 10 cm of the esophagus. Motility disorders are present in the majority of patients with ED explaining the pathophysiology of this rare disease. Achalasia is the most common underlying disorder. We present a review on the diagnosis and management of ED in the setting of achalasia. METHODS: Literature review. RESULTS: Symptoms are most related to the underlying motility disorder. The diagnostic workup should always include an upper digestive endoscopy and a barium esophagogram. Esophageal manometry identifies the motility disorder in most patients. Therapeutic options include laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and endoscopic procedures. While a myotomy must always be performed, diverticulectomy is not always necessary. CONCLUSIONS: Epiphrenic diverticulum is a rare condition whose pathophysiology involves an underlying motility disorder-achalasia in most cases. Symptoms usually include dysphagia, regurgitation, heartburn, and respiratory complaints and correlate with the motility disorder rather than the diverticulum per se. Upper digestive endoscopy and barium esophagogram are needed for the diagnosis-manometry may add useful information but is not imperative for the treatment. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with a partial fundoplication is the procedure of choice, with satisfactory symptom relief and several advantages over the thoracic approach. Diverticulectomy may be performed in selected patients. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are novel techniques, effective and minimally invasive that can be an option for patients unfit for surgery.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease in the obese: Pathophysiology and treatment.

Obesity is a condition that has increased all over the world in the last 3 decades. Overweight and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are related. GERD may have different causative factors in the obese compared with lean individuals. This review focuses on the proper treatment for GERD in the obese based on its pathophysiology. Increased abdominal pressure may play a more significant role in obese subjects with GERD than the defective esophagogastric barrier usually found in nonobese individuals. A fundoplication may be used to treat GERD in these individuals; however, outcomes may be not as good as in nonobese patients and it does not act on the pathophysiology of the disease. All bariatric techniques may ameliorate GERD symptoms owing to a decrease in abdominal pressure secondary to weight loss. However, some operations may lead to a disruption of natural anatomic antireflux mechanisms or even lead to slow gastric emptying and/or esophageal clearance and thus be a refluxogenic procedure. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass decreases both acid and bile reflux from the stomach into the esophagus. On the other hand, gastric banding is a refluxogenic operation, and sleeve gastrectomy may show different outcomes based on the anatomy of the gastric tube.