Esophageal achalasia is characterized by the findings of aperi | Surgery videos & books

Esophageal achalasia is characterized by the findings of aperistalsis/atony and a failure of the LES to relax normally, resulting in esophageal dilatation proximally with a functional obstruction at the LES. Long-standing achalasia results in the characteristic barium swallow finding of a “bird’s beak.” Iatrogenic or tumor-related elevation of LES pressure can result in a “pseudoachalasia,” but should have normal peristaltic patterns on manometry. Patients with Barrett’s esophagus may have a “cobblestone” appearance on barium swallow, with normal peristalsis, and do not characteristically demonstrate esophageal dilatation; LES pressures may be normal or low. Finally, patients with Plummer-Vinson syndrome develop cervical dysphagia due to irondeficiency anemia; patients often present with cervical esophageal webs and can be at higher risk for developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.