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Background: High-resolution manometry (HRM), which is breakthrough testing equipment to evaluate esophageal motor function, was developed in Europe and United State and has garnered attention. Moreover, multichannel intraluminal impedance pH (MII-pH) testing has allowed us to grasp all liquid/gas reflux including not only acid but also non-acid reflux. We examined the impact of the presence of reflux esophagitis (RE) on esophageal motor function before and after laparoscopic fundoplication., Materials and Methods: The subjects included 100 patients (male: 63 patients, mean age: 54.1 ± 15.8) among 145 patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD associated diseases during a 4-year period from October 2012 to September 2016, excluding 6 patients who underwent further surgery, 32 patients on whom HRM was not performed, 3 patients who had technical errors during testing, and 4 patients for whom the status of RE was unknown. Regarding HRM, Mano Scan from Given Imaging Ltd. was used, and for the analysis, Mano View version 3.0 from the same company was used, after which data was calculated based on the Chicago Classification advocated by Pandolfino et al. Moreover, for the MII-pH testing, Sleuth manufactured by Sandhill Scientific. Inc. was used and automatic analysis was conducted by a computer. Postoperative assessments were conducted 3 months following surgery for all. Data was described in the median value and inter-quartile range, with a statistically significant difference defined as p < 0.05 by Chi square, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests., Results: RE+ group (Los Angeles classification A:B:C:D = 7:9:16:12 patients) included 44 patients (44%), of older age compared to the RE- group (62 vs. 50 years, p = 0.012) and a higher Body Mass Index value (24.0 vs. 22.5, p = 0.045); however, no differences were observed in terms of gender and duration of symptoms. In the preoperative findings on MII-pH, the RE+ group demonstrated significantly longer acid reflux time (4.7 vs. 1.3%, p = 0.005), while in the HRM findings, the RE- group demonstrated a significantly longer abdominal esophagus (0 vs. 0.4 cm, p = 0.049) and maintained esophageal body motor function (DCI: 1054 vs. 1407 mmHg s cm, p = 0.021, Intact peristalsis ratio: 90 vs. 100%, p = 0.037). As to the comparison of the treatment effect before and after laparoscopic fundoplication (Toupet fundoplication for all), significant improvements were observed in both groups in various parameters regarding reflux including acid reflux time, total number of liquid reflux episodes and total number of reflux episodes. Moreover, for both groups, the total length of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) (RE+ group: 2.7 vs. 3.2 cm, p = 0.001, RE- group: 3.0 vs. 3.4 cm, p = 0.003) and the total length of the abdominal esophagus (RE+ group: 0 vs. 1.6 cm, p < 0.001, RE- group: 0 vs. 1.8 cm, p = 0.001) were significantly extended following surgery; however, no change was observed in DCI before and after surgery., Conclusions: Regardless of the presence of RE, cardiac function and LES function were improved following laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication, but no changes were observed in esophageal body motor function.

Background: Surgical results of GERD have mainly been reported from the Western countries, with a few reports found in Japan. We examined the surgical results of laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication and clarify the characteristics of recurrent cases., Methods: The subjects included 375 patients who underwent laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication from June 1997 to December 2016 as the initial surgery. Patient characteristics, pathophysiology, and surgical results were examined. In addition, we compared the patient characteristics and pathophysiology of recurrent cases in comparison with non-recurrent cases., Results: Age 59 (43-70) and male 211 (56.3%). The operation time was 141 min (113-180) and intraoperative complications were found to have onset in 13 subjects (3.5%). Dysphagia after surgery was found in 18 cases (4.8%). The A factor (the degree of hiatal hernia), P factor (the degree of esophagitis), and pH < 4 holding time significantly improved after surgery compared with prior to surgery (p < 0.001 for all), while the LES lengths and abdominal LES lengths were extended (p < 0.001 for each). Recurrence was found in 48 patients (15.1%) among the 318 patients for whom we could confirm the presence or absence of recurrence. The A factor, P factor, and pH < 4 holding time prior to surgery were, respectively, higher in the recurrence group (p = 0.031, p < 0.001, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication for GERD could be performed safely, with a response rate as good as 85%. Compared with non-recurrent cases, preoperative clinical conditions such as esophageal hiatal hernia, reflux esophagitis, and acid reflux time were all advanced in recurrent cases.

Background: Achalasia is a rare disease with a morbidity of 1 in 100,000, for which the exact mechanism of pathogenesis has not been clarified due to the small total number of patients. We herein report on our experience with two cases of familial achalasia in which the involvement of genetic inheritance was suspected., Case Presentation: These cases consist of a man in his thirties and his mother in her sixties. The son consulted the Department of Gastrointestinal Medicine at our institute with dysphagia, and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a gastric submucosal tumor with a maximal diameter of approximately 50 mm. Achalasia was also strongly suspected due to the enlargement of the esophagus to the maximum transverse diameter of 55 mm by esophagography along with delayed clearance of barium. A detailed interview revealed prolonged mild dysphagia in his mother. Therefore, high-resolution manometry was carried out in both patients. As a result, peristaltic disorder was observed in the esophageal body in both the mother and son, leading to a definitive diagnosis of achalasia. For the son, total gastrectomy including the lower esophagus with Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed. His postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged from hospital in remission on the 9th day following surgery and is currently undergoing follow-up as an outpatient., Conclusions: We hereby report on a very rare case of familial achalasia that we experienced which may suggest a genetic element in the onset of achalasia, and reviewed the literature.

Background: Early postoperative endoscopy after esophagectomy is assumed to be effective in detection and prediction of anastomotic complications, but overall effects of early postoperative endoscopy remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mucosal status assessed by early postoperative endoscopy could offer an approach to individualized management after esophagectomy., Methods: Endoscopy was performed in 176 of 214 patients who underwent esophagectomy at either 1 week or 2 weeks postoperatively. Mucosal damage in the proximal region of the graft was classified as follows: intact mucosa, mild mucosal degeneration, and severe mucosal degeneration. We examined the association of the severity of mucosal damage and the incidence of anastomotic complications., Results: Twenty-eight patients (16%) developed anastomotic stricture. Symptomatic anastomotic leaks occurred in 15 patients (8.5%), including 6 with stricture. The frequency of intact mucosa, mild mucosal degeneration, and severe mucosal was 7%, 20%, and 73% for leaks; 4%, 11%, and 85% for strictures; and 28%, 62%, and 10% for no complications, respectively (P <.001). Asymptomatic leaks were found in 4 patients in the 1-week endoscopy group. Sensitivity and specificity for the development of stricture in 1-week/2-week were 0.88/0.83 and 0.85/0.98, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.52/0.91 and 0.97/0.96, respectively. Early postoperative endoscopy could be carried out without any adverse events in all patients., Conclusion: Assessment of the anastomosis and graft with early postoperative endoscopy was safe and resulted in a high predictive value for subsequent anastomotic complications. Early postoperative endoscopy may lead to targeted management for a subset of patients undergoing esophagectomy., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are recommended as first-line therapy for reflux esophagitis. Recent studies documented that more than 25 % of patients have some symptoms of GERD despite PPI therapy. In 2015, a newly developed acid inhibitor, potassium-competitive acid blocker(P-CAB), were started marketing. P-CAB, PPIs, and H2 blockers are antisecretory drugs of gastric acid, and no medicine can reduce gastroesophageal reflux(GER). The cause of GER is the insufficiency of antireflux mechanism of the cardia. Only surgical treatment can repair these situations. Most frequent antireflux procedures for GERD are Nissen and Tou- pet fundoplications. As for postoperative dysphagia, our first choice is laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication (LTF). We herein report our technique of LTF.

In general, the treatment methods for esophageal achalasia are largely classified into four groups, including drug therapy using nitrite or a calcium channel blocker, botulinum toxin injection, endoscopic therapy such as endoscopic balloon dilation, and surgery. Various studies have suggested that the most effective treatment of esophageal achalasia is surgical therapy. The basic concept of this surgical therapy has not changed since Heller proposed esophageal myotomy for the purpose of resolution of lower esophageal obstruction for the first time in 1913, but the most common approach has changed from open-chest surgery to laparoscopic surgery. Currently, the laparoscopic surgery has been the procedure of choice for the treatment of esophageal achalasia. During the process of the transition from open-chest surgery to laparotomy, to thoracoscopic surgery, and to laparoscopic surgery, the necessity of combining antireflux surgery has been recognized. There is some debate as to which type of antireflux surgery should be selected. The Toupet fundoplication may be the most effective in prevention of postoperative antireflux, but many medical institutions have selected the Dor fundoplication which covers the mucosal surface exposed by myotomy. Recently, a new endoscopic approach, peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), has received attention. Future studies should examine the long-term outcomes and whether POEM becomes the gold standard for the treatment of esophageal achalasia.

A middle school girl started a diet; she developed an eating disorder, and was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Endoscopic examination revealed no esophagitis due to gastric reflux, but slackness was seen in the cardiac region. Multichannel intraluminal impedance pH monitoring revealed marked non-acidic reflux. On the basis of positive symptom index (SI) and symptom association probability (SAP) values, the patient was diagnosed with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux. The patient was afraid to eat because of the reflux; therefore, laparoscopic reflux prevention surgery was performed. The symptoms completely disappeared after surgery, and normal oral ingestion was possible.

A 39-year-old female patient was referred to our hospital with a suspected esophageal motility disorder following a 4-month history of hiccup and dysphagia. Her past medical and family histories were unremarkable. Prior investigation with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and esophagography failed to demonstrate any obvious pathology. Therefore, high-resolution manometry was performed, which showed the following: an integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) of 11.5mmHg; a distal contractile integral (DCI) of 6543mmHg-s-cm; and, a highest DCI of 9289mmHg-s-cm. A diagnosis of jackhammer esophagus was, therefore, considered. We reported on the details of this case and reviewed the relevant literature.

The mechanisms responsible for development of gastric carcinoid tumors (type I carcinoids) in type A atrophic gastritis are hyperplasia of enterochromaffin-like cells that are associated with hypergastrinemia, and tumorigenesis. Endoscopic resection and gastrectomy are applied as treatment modalities for gastric carcinoids associated with gastrin hypersecretion. However, since the underlying pathology is the hyperplasia of gastrin-secreting cells and over-production of gastrin in the antropyloric region, antrectomy seems a logical treatment modality. To date, we have performed laparoscopic-assisted anterectomies in 3 cases of type I gastric carcinoid. The lesions have regressed or disappeared in 2 cases, in which resections of the foci were not performed. Furthermore, no has been observed in the other case, in which laparoscopic resection was performed. A laparoscopic antrectomy for type I gastric carcinoid is a minimally invasive treatment relevant to the pathology of the disease, and it is also expected to produce regression or even spontaneous resolution of the tumor.