
Among the therapeutic options for achalasia are pneumatic dilatation (PD), an appropriate long-term therapy, and botulinum toxin injection (BT) that is a relatively short-term therapy. This study aimed to compare therapeutic effect of repetitive pneumatic dilation with a combined method (botulinum toxin injection and pneumatic dilation) in a group of achalasia patients who are low responder to two initial pneumatic dilations. Thirty-four patients with documented primary achalasia that had low response to two times PD ( or = 50% of baseline. There were no significant differences between the two groups in gender, age and achalasia type. Remission rate of patients in BT-PD group in comparison with PD group were 87.5% vs. 67.1% (P = 0.7), 87.5% vs. 61.1% (P = 0.59) and 87.5% vs. 55.5% (P = 0.53) at 1, 6 and 12 months respectively .There were no major complications in either group. The mean symptom score decreased by 62.71% in the BT-PD group (P < 0.002) and 50.77% in the PD group (P < 0.01) at the end of the first year. Despite a better response rate in BT+PD group, a difference was not statistically significant. A difference may be meaningful if a large numbers of patients are included in the study.
Adult, Male, Medicine (General), Botulinum Toxins, botulinum toxins, Combined Modality Therapy, Catheterization, Esophageal Achalasia, R5-920, Treatment Outcome, Neuromuscular Agents, Humans, Female, Prospective Studies, esophageal achalasia, Balloon dilation
Adult, Male, Medicine (General), Botulinum Toxins, botulinum toxins, Combined Modality Therapy, Catheterization, Esophageal Achalasia, R5-920, Treatment Outcome, Neuromuscular Agents, Humans, Female, Prospective Studies, esophageal achalasia, Balloon dilation
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