Achalasia Surgery Beverly Hills
Though it only affects one out of 100,000 people, achalasia is an uncomfortable swallowing disorder that can have a big impact on a person’s daily life. Achalasia is not a curable disorder, but it can be managed through monitoring and treatment. Beverly Hills residents who experience severe cases of achalasia might be good candidates for achalasia surgery. Dr. Feiz, lead surgeon at the Beverly Hills Weight Loss Center, specializes in stomach, intestinal and esophageal surgeries such as achalasia surgery. Our team of specialists at our Beverly Hills office have helped many patients suffering from achalasia to manage their condition. We understand that achalasia is a difficult condition to suffer with, and we utilize a 360 degree approach to diagnosing and understanding each person’s achalasia. Our Beverly Hills team consists of nutritionists, psychologists, medical specialists and achalasia surgery specialists who can diagnose the extent of a patient’s achalasia and determine the best course of treatment and disorder management.
Patients who are seeking achalasia surgery in Beverly Hills should know that the most common surgical procedure involves balloon dilatation. During balloon dilatation achalasia surgery, the surgeon guides a balloon carefully into the compressed area of the esophagus. Once the balloon is in position, the next step of achalasia surgery is to have the balloon inflated to stretch out the overly tight muscles and increase the room for food to pass through in the esophagus. The other type of achalasia surgery performed in our Beverly Hills office is called myotomy. This type of achalasia surgery is more invasive, but has a higher success rate for our Beverly Hills patients.
Several different treatments are available. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to discuss the various treatment options with your surgeon before making a decision.
* The first is that the lower two-thirds of the esophagus does not propel food toward the stomach properly.
* The second problem is in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a circular band of muscle that lies at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach. The LES normally helps prevent food from flowing backwards, from the stomach into the esophagus. The LES should relax in response to swallowing to allow food to enter the stomach. In patients with Achalasia, the LES fails to relax.
SYMPTOMS - The symptoms have a slow onset and progress gradually; many people delay seeking medical attention until symptoms are advanced. The major symptom is difficulty swallowing (liquids or solids). Other symptoms include chest pain, regurgitation of swallowed food and liquid, heartburn, difficulty burping, a sensation of fullness or a lump in the throat, hiccups, and weight loss.
DIAGNOSIS - Achalasia surgery is usually suspected based upon the presence of the symptoms described above, but tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
