ABSTRACT
Esophageal achalasia is a functional disorder characterized by impaired motility of the distal esophagus and failure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax in response to swallowing. The incidence is approximately 5 cases per million and only 5 percent of these are children. Conservative treatment with esophageal dilatations and/or botulinum toxin may give temporary relief of symptoms, but definitive therapy is surgical. The introduction of minimally invasive techniques has had a profound impact on the treatment of achalasia and has made surgical Heller’s myotomy the treatment of choice.
