Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is gaining traction as a minimally invasive treatment of achalasia. Increased reflux is reported after POEM but the incidence, type and severity of reflux are not fully understood. We aimed to study the prevalence and nature of reflux after POEM and correlate reflux with endoscopy and pH-impedance findings.

This is a prospective cohort study of achalasia patients undergoing POEM since 2014. Data from Eckardt and GERD symptom scores, high-resolution oesophageal manometry (HRM) and gastroscopy were performed pre-procedure and repeated at 1-year follow-up. Data from 24-h pH-impedance, if performed, were also recorded. A standardized questionnaire was used to determine the severity and frequency of heartburn symptoms and the composite score for each patient was calculated.

58 patients underwent POEM between January 2014 and October 2018. The efficacy of POEM at 1 year was 93.0%. We observed reduction of median Integrated Relaxation Pressure (IRP) from 23.5 ± 33.1 mmHg to 13.4 ± 7.71 mmHg (p = 0.005) and mean Eckardt score improved from 6.09 ± 2.43 points to 1.16 ± 1.70 points (p < 0.001). At 1 year, 43.1% (n = 25) had symptomatic reflux. Of the 40 patients who underwent repeated gastroscopy, 60.0% (n = 24) had endoscopic evidence of oesophagitis with seven patients (18%) diagnosed with Grade C or D oesophagitis. 43.1% (n = 25) of patients had pH-impedance done post-POEM off PPIs. 14 patients (56%) had increased acid exposure. Sixteen percent of reflux episodes were acidic and 77.3% were weakly acidic.

POEM was an effective treatment for achalasia. However, GERD was common after POEM with incidence of 43% on symptom score, 60% on endoscopy and 56% on pH-impedance test. Post-POEM reflux appeared to be predominantly acidic in nature. Routine surveillance for GERD after POEM is recommended.