[Clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment of esophageal spasm]

Esophageal spasm Teschendorf 's syndrome) is rarely distinguished among neuromuscular diseases of the esophagus, which leads to improper treatment. Primary esophageal spasm and secondary esophageal spasm should be distinguished, the latter developing in cardiospasm or achylia of the cardia. Retrosternal pain and dysphagia prevail in the clinical picture of ++esophageal spasm . X-ray and esophagomanometry are the most informative among the objective methods of examination. In a group of 106 patients 49 had primary and 57 had secondary esophageal spasm . A complex of measures should be applied in the management of esophageal spasm+. Primary esophageal spasm is treated only by nonoperative measures (spasmolytics, tranquilizers, vitamins, acupuncture reflex therapy and psychotherapy according to a suggested scheme), a course of pneumocardiodilatation (no more than 5 sessions) is included in the management of secondary esophageal spasm+. Such treatment produced good and satisfactory results in 100% of patients with primary and in 72% of patients with secondary esophagitis. The management of secondary esophagitis is a more difficult problem which calls for further study.