Ajay Kaul - Esophageal Achalasia in Children

In this episode, hosts Drs. Peter Lu and Temara Hajjat talk to Dr. Ajay Kaul about the evaluation and management of children with esophageal achalasia and esophageal motility disorders.  We review the diagnostic tools available to evaluate esophageal motility including functional luminal impedance planimetry (FLIP), compare the treatment options available to children with esophageal achalasia, and discuss the importance of multicenter pediatric research.  Dr. Kaul is the Director of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Disorders Center at Cincinnati Children's and Professor in the University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics.

Register and submit abstracts for the 2nd World Congress on Pediatric Neurogastroenterology and Motility (PNM2023) here at the congress website!

Article with video showing peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) from VideoGIE.

This episode is eligible for CME credit!  Once you have listened to the episode, click this link to claim your credit.  Credit is available to NASPGHAN members (if you are not a member, you should probably sign up).  And thank you to the NASPGHAN Professional Education Committee for their review!

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the role of endoscopy, contrast imaging, high resolution esophageal manometry, and functional luminal impedance planimetry (FLIP) in the evaluation of a child with esophageal dysphagia.
2. Recognize the specific abnormalities in esophageal motility present in the various subtypes of esophageal achalasia.
3. Understand the treatments available for children with esophageal achalasia, including pneumatic balloon dilation, laparoscopic Heller myotomy, and peroral endoscopy myotomy (POEM).

Produced by: Peter Lu