Achalasia

Excerpt

Achalasia is not a common disorder in medicine. Most clinicians will not encounter a patient with this esophageal smooth muscle motility disorder, which occurs because the lower esophageal sphincter fails to relax. The esophagus also has a marked absence of peristalsis. In less than 50% of patients, the lower esophageal sphincter is hypertensive. This condition causes a functional obstruction at the gastroesophageal junction.