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Updated: Nov 12, 2025
Author Spotlight: Cutting-Edge Robotic Heller Myotomy Protocol for Treatment of Achalasia
Published on: February 16, 2024
The incidence of reintervention and reoperation following Heller myotomy across multiple indications
Kelly Ieong1, Andrew Brown2, Jie Yang2
1Division of Bariatric, Foregut, and Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Health Sciences Center, T19-053, Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8191, USA. Kelly.ieong@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
Introduction:
Achalasia is a debilitating primary esophageal motility disorder. Heller myotomy (HM) is a first-line therapy for the treatment of achalasia patients who have failed other modalities. Other indications for HM include diverticulum, diffuse esophageal spasm, and esophageal strictures. However, long-term outcomes of HM are unclear. This study aims to assess incidence of reintervention, either endoscopically or through minimally invasive or resectional procedures, in patients who underwent HM in New York State.
Methods:
The Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) administrative longitudinal database identified 1817 adult patients who underwent HM between 2000 and 2008 for achalasia, esophageal diverticulum, diffuse esophageal spasm, and esophageal strictures, based on ICD-9 and CPT codes. Through the use of unique identifiers, patients requiring reintervention were tracked up to 2016 (for at least 8 years follow-up). Primary outcome was incidence of subsequent procedures following HM. Secondary outcomes were time to reintervention and risk factors for reintervention.
Results:
Of the 1817 patients who underwent HM, 320 (17.6%) required subsequent intervention. Of the 320 patients, 234 (73.1%) underwent endoscopic reinterventions, 54 (16.9%) underwent minimally invasive procedures, and 32 (10%) underwent resectional procedures as their initial revisional intervention. Of the 234 patients who underwent endoscopic reintervention as their initial revisional procedure, only 40 (16.8%) required subsequent surgical procedures. Over a mean follow-up of 7.0 years, the mean time to a subsequent procedure was 4.3 ± 3.74 years. Reintervention rates after 10 years following HM for achalasia, diverticulum ,and other indication were 24.4%, 12.6%, and 37%, respectively.
Conclusion:
The majority of HM reinterventions were managed solely by endoscopic procedures (60.6%). Heller myotomy remains an excellent procedure to prevent surgical reintervention for achalasia and diverticulum.
