Laparoscopic Heller’s cardiomyotomy and fundoplication; A successful approach for Achalasia Management at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania: A cases series
Aims: To describe the surgical management and outcomes of pediatric achalasia in two patients with rare comorbidities, focusing on the challenges and limitations in a resource-limited setting.Patients & Methods: This case series includes a 9-year-old male with Triple-A syndrome and a 7-year-old male with Addison’s disease, both presenting with long-standing dysphagia. Both patients underwent laparoscopic Heller’s myotomy and Dor fundoplication. The diagnosis was primarily based on clinical presentation and barium swallow due to the unavailability of esophageal manometry.Results: Both patients demonstrated significant improvements in dysphagia postoperatively. No intraoperative complications occurred, and neither patient experienced recurrence or complications at follow-up. However, the lack of manometric studies may have affected diagnostic precision.Conclusions: This case series highlights the effective use of laparoscopic Heller’s myotomy in pediatric achalasia patients with complex comorbidities. The absence of manometric studies and Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy options underscores the need for advanced diagnostic tools and surgical techniques in resource-limited settings.
Authors
- Godfrey Mchele
- William Lutege
- Kitembo Salum Kibwana
- M Salim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0162-8433)
- Yona Ringo
- Jenikalo Kaguo
Institutions
- Muhimbili National Hospital (TZ)
Publication Details
- Journal
- african journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
- Published
- 2024-10-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.21608/ajgh.2024.387016
- Primary Topic
- Gastroesophageal reflux and treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00