Dyschalasia: a variant or early phase of Achalasia?

One of the characteristic motor abnormalities in achalasia of the esophagus is the lack of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter during swallowing. In a subject with a clinical history and radiologic evidence of early achalasia all the typical motor abnormalities of the disease were observed in the course of pressure studies, but the sphincter exhibited a fall of pressure in response to a contraction of the body of the esophagus. This relaxation occurred later than would be expected in the normal esophagus and, therefore, this unusual condition was named dyschalasia.The relationship of dyschalasia to classical achalasia is discussed and several theories are advanced. The authors believe that dyschalasia is possibly an early stage of achalasia.