Achalasia: what's new in diagnosis and treatment?

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder of unknown cause, characterized clinically by dysphagia and regurgitation and diagnosed by manometry and/or barium esophagogram. Good long-term symptomatic relief can be achieved with pneumatic dilatation and myotomy. Botulinum toxin injection and videoendoscopic surgery are being evaluated as less invasive forms of therapy.