- Unable to swallow or eat, she endured two years of sheer agony
- Endoscopic Myotomy restores her to normalcy
An 82-year-old woman, who spent the last two years starving and enduring severe agony due to a rare condition where food would get lodged in her esophagus instead of reaching her stomach, has been successfully treated at Aster Prime Hospital.
The elderly patient suffered from a condition where consumed food would flow back out through her mouth and nose as soon as she lay down at night. Over time, her condition worsened to the point where she could swallow neither solid foods nor liquids. Doctors at Aster Prime Hospital successfully performed an advanced *Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM)* procedure, enabling the patient to eat without any discomfort and return to a normal life.
According to Dr. Kaluvala Harsha Teja, Consultant Medical Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist & Therapeutic Endoscopist at Aster Prime Hospital, the elderly patient was diagnosed with a rare disorder known as Achalasia Cardia.
“Normally, the food we consume reaches the stomach from the esophagus within 7 to 8 seconds. However, in patients with this disease, the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES)—a muscular valve at the end of the esophagus—fails to relax and open. As a result, food gets trapped, leading to regurgitation through the mouth and nose, vomiting while lying down, and severe weight loss. This condition is primarily caused by genetic factors, though past infections can also trigger it,” Dr. Harsha Teja explained.
Initial diagnostic tests, including an Upper GI Endoscopy, Barium Swallow, and High-Resolution Manometry, confirmed that she was suffering from Type-1 Achalasia Cardia.
An initial attempt to treat the condition using Pneumatic Balloon Dilation yielded no results, and the patient's weight plummeted dangerously to just 38 kg. Considering her advanced age and the need for a minimally invasive option with low risk, the medical team decided to perform the advanced POEM procedure.
During this endoscopic surgery, a submucosal tunnel was created inside the esophagus to cut the non-relaxing sphincter muscles, thereby clearing the passage for food to flow smoothly into the stomach.
The medical team at Aster Prime Hospital confirmed that post-procedure, the patient's swallowing difficulties have been completely resolved. The regurgitation of food has stopped entirely, and her weight has stabilized.
The hospital's medical experts highlighted that POEM is currently recognized as a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive, and highly effective treatment for Achalasia Cardia. It is particularly beneficial and safe for elderly, frail, and high-risk patients who cannot undergo conventional open surgeries.