Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Children with Oesophageal Achalasia: A 10-Year Single-Centre Experience in Morocco

INTRODUCTION: Achalasia is a primary oesophageal motility disorder with unknown aetiology. The aim of this study was to evaluate our 10-year experience in the diagnostic process and surgical management of oesophageal achalasia (OA) in children. METHODS: A retrospective review of all children (age: 0–15 years) treated for achalasia at the department of paediatric surgery from 2007 to 2016 was conducted. The demographics, presenting symptoms, associated diseases, diagnostic process, outcomes and complications were analysed. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were identified, with a mean age of 5.2 years. There were eight female and six male patients. The most common symptom was chronic vomiting, in all patients (100%), followed by weight loss in 10 (71.4%), cough in 6 (42.9%), dysphagia in 5 (35.7%) and chest pain in 3 (21.4%). The mean duration of symptoms until diagnosis was 36.3 ± 29.1 months. Three patients underwent an open Heller myotomy (HM) and 11 laparoscopic HM (LHM) including three conversions. The reasons for conversion were mucosal perforation in two cases and liver bleeding in one patient. The mean operating time and the average length of postoperative stay in the patients of LHM group were, respectively, 2.0 ± 0.7 h and 4 ± 1.5 days. The mean follow-up was 43.2 months. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of OA in children is based on clinical arguments and especially on the barium oesophagram findings. Laparoscopic myotomy is the most effective surgical approach in children.