Apollo doctors successfully treat Achalasia Cardia patients using POEM procedure

Doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad, successfully treated two patients with Achalasia Cardia using the minimally invasive POEM procedure. The advanced endoscopic technique helped patients recover without external incisions and provided relief from long-term swallowing difficulties.

Hyderabad: Doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad, treated patients suffering from Achalasia Cardia, a rare disorder in which the nerves controlling the food pipe (esophagus) fail to function properly, leading to difficulty in swallowing and other digestive complications.

Dr Bhaskar and Dr Venu Gongati, Medical Gastroenterologists, said an advanced minimally invasive endoscopic procedure called Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) is an ideal treatment for such patients.

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A 37-year-old woman from Warangal, who was suffering from severe swallowing difficulties for a decade, underwent a POEM procedure. Post-surgery, the patient experienced remarkable relief and is recovering well, doctors said.

The procedure offered treatment and recovery for another patient, Ravinder (50) from Karimnagar, who was diagnosed with Achalasia Cardia along with cardiomyopathy and a severely reduced ejection fraction (EF) of 30 per cent.

Dr Bhaskar and Dr Venu Gongati said traditionally, surgery has been the standard treatment for Achalasia Cardia. However, POEM procedure is performed through an endoscope without any external incisions and enables patients to return home the very next day.