Gastroesophageal reflux following peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia:Bumps in the road to success

Achalasia can significantly impair the quality of life.The clinical presentation typically includes dysphagia to both solids and liquids,chest pain,and regurgitation.Diagnosis can be delayed in patients with atypical presentations,and they might receive a wrong diagnosis,such as gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD),owing to overlapping symptoms of both disorders.Although the cause of achalasia is poorly understood,its impact on the motility of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction is well established.Several treatment modalities have been utilized,with the most common being surgical Heller myotomy with concomitant fundoplication and pneumatic balloon dilatation.Recently,peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM)has gained popularity as an effective treatment for achalasia,despite a relatively high incidence of GERD occurring after treatment compared to other modalities.The magnitude of post-POEM GERD depends on its definition and is influenced by patient and procedure-related factors.The longterm sequelae of post-POEM GERD are yet to be determined,but it appears to have a benign course and is usually manageable with clinically available modalities.Identifying risk factors for post-POEM GERD and modifying the POEM procedure in selected patients may improve the overall success of this technique.

Navigating reflux disease after achalasia treatments:Balancing risks and benefits

The peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM)procedure has revolutionized the management of achalasia in many centres around the world as it offers patients a minimally invasive endoscopic solution to their dysphagia caused by achalasia.Alongside its success in alleviating dysphagia,concerns regarding postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease have emerged as a pertinent issue which are not fully resolved.In this study,Nabi et al have comprehensively reviewed the topic of the prediction,prevention and management of gastroesophageal reflux after POEM.POEM is a purely endoscopic procedure which is usually performed without any anti-reflux procedure.Certain patients may be better served by a laparoscopic Heller’s myotomy and fundoplication and it is important that gastroenterologists and surgeons provide comprehensive risks and benefits of each achalasia treatment option so that patients can decide what treatment is best for them.This article by Nabi et al provides a comprehensive review of the current status of this issue to allow these discussions to occur.

Safety and efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy for treating achalasia in pediatric and geriatric patients:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND As a less invasive technique,peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM)has recently been widely accepted for treating achalasia with an excellent safety profile,durability,and efficacy in adults.In pediatric and geriatric patients,the treatment is more difficult.AIM To discuss the clinical outcomes of POEM in pediatric and geriatric patients with achalasia.METHODS We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library databases from inception to July 2024.The primary outcomes were technical and clinical success.Secondary outcomes of interest included adverse events and gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD).The pooled event rates were calculated by comprehensive meta-analysis software.RESULTS A total of 32 studies with 547 pediatric patients and 810 geriatric patients were included in this study.The pooled event rates of technical success,clinical success,GERD and adverse events of POEM for treating achalasia in pediatric patients were 97.1%[95%confidence interval(CI):95.0%-98.3%;I^(2)=0%;P<0.000],93.2%(95%CI:90.5%-95.2%;I^(2)=0%;P<0.000),22.3%(95%CI:18.4%-26.7%;I^(2)=43.874%;P<0.000)and 20.4%(95%CI:16.6%-24.8%;I^(2)=67.217%;P<0.000),respectively.Furthermore,in geriatric patients,the pooled event rates were 97.7%(95%CI:95.8%-98.7%;I^(2)=15.200%;P<0.000),93.2%(95%CI:90.3%-95.2%;I^(2)=0%;P<0.000),23.9%(95%CI:19.4%-29.1%;I^(2)=75.697%;P<0.000)and 10.8%(95%CI:8.3%-14.0%;I^(2)=62.938%;P<0.000],respectively.CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrated that POEM was an effective and safe technique for pediatric and geriatric patients with achalasia.

Pseudoachalasia: A peculiar case report and review of the literature

Pseudoachalasia is a rare secondary achalasia, which accounts for only a small subgroup of patients. We describe a 77-year-old woman with recent onset of dysphagia and typical esophageal manometric findings of achalasia. Moreover, esophageal manometric findings of vascular compression at 36 cm from the nose were associated with dysphagia. An upper endoscopy showed the absence of lesions both in the esophagus and gastro-esophageal junction, whilst a 15-mm ulcer on the gastric angulus was detected. The gastric ulcer resulted in being a diffuse signet ring cell carcinoma at histology, suggesting pseudoachalasia. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed an irregular concentric thickening of the gastro-esophageal junction wall extending for 7 cm and a dilated ascending thoracic aorta with no presence of the inferior vena cava, with an enlarged azygos as the source of vascular compression of esophagus. Moreover, cardia involvement from diffuse signet ring cell carcinoma of the gastric angulus was also recognized as the cause of dysphagia. The cancer was not suitable for a surgical approach in an old patient with cardiovascular comorbidities and support therapy was started. In our ambulatory series, pseudoachalasia was eventually diagnosed in 4.7% of 234 consecutive patients with esophageal manometric finding suggestive of achalasia. We also reviewed cases in the literature and aimed to evaluate the reported causes of pseudoachalasia.

Laparoscopic diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma presenting with pseudoachalasia

Pseudoachalasia due to pleural mesothelioma is an extremely rare condition. A 70-year-old woman presented with progressive dysphagia for solid and liquids and a mild weight loss. A barium swallow study revealed an esophageal dilatation and a smoothly narrowed esophagogastric junction. An esophageal manometry showed absence of peristalsis. Endoscopy demonstrated an extrinsic stenosis of the distal esophagus with negative biopsies. A marked thickening of the distal esophagus and a right-sided pleural effusion were evident at computed tomography （CT） scan, but cytological examination of the thoracic fluid was negative. Endoscopic ultrasound showed the disappearance of the distal esophageal wall stratification and thickening of the esophageal wall. The patient underwent an explorative laparoscopy. Biopsies of the esophageal muscle were consistent with the diagnosis of epithelioid type pleural mesothelioma. An esophageal stent was placed for palliation of dysphagia. The patient died four months after the diagnosis. This is the first reported case of pleural mesothelioma diagnosed through laparoscopy.

Achalasia: A review of clinical diagnosis, epidemiology,treatment and outcomes

Achalasia is a neurodegenerative motility disorder of the oesophagus resulting in deranged oesophageal peristalsis and loss of lower oesophageal sphincter function.Historically,annual achalasia incidence rates were believed to be low,approximately 0.5-1.2 per 100000.More recent reports suggest that annual incidence rates have risen to 1.6 per 100000 in some populations.The aetiology of achalasia is still unclear but is likely to be multi-factorial.Suggested causes include environmental or viral exposures resulting in inflammation of the oesophageal myenteric plexus,which elicits an autoimmune response.Risk of achalasia may be elevated in a sub-group of genetically susceptible people.Improvement in the diagnosis of achalasia,through the introduction of high resolution manometry with pressure topography plotting,has resulted in the development of a novel classification system for achalasia.This classification system can evaluate patient prognosis and predict responsiveness to treatment.There is currently much debate over whether pneumatic dilatation is a superior method compared to the Heller’s myotomy procedure in the treatment of achalasia.A recent com-parative study found equal efficacy,suggesting that patient preference and local expertise should guide the choice.Although achalasia is a relatively rare condition,it carries a risk of complications,including aspiration pneumonia and oesophageal cancer.The risk of both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus is believed to be significantly increased in patients with achalasia,however the absolute excess risk is small.Therefore,it is currently unknown whether a surveillance programme in achalasia patients would be effective or cost-effective.

New endoscopic classification of achalasia for selection of candidates for peroral endoscopic myotomy

AIM:To propose a new endoscopic classification of achalasia for selecting patients appropriate for undergoing peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM).METHODS:We screened out the data of patients with achalasia examined from October 2000 to September 2011 at our Digestive Endoscopic Center with endoscopic pictures clear enough to reveal the morphology of middle and lower esophagus.After analyzing the correlation between the endoscopic morphology of the esophageal lumen and POEM,we proposed a new endoscopic classification(Ling classification) of achalasia according to three kinds of endoscopically viewed structures:multi-ring structure,crescent-like structure and diverticulum structure.There were three types based on the criteria of Ling classification:type Ⅰ,smooth without multi-ring,crescent-like structure or diverticulum structure;type Ⅱ,with multi-ring or crescent-like structure but without diverticulum structure;and type Ⅲ,with diverticulum structure.Type Ⅱ was classified into three subtypes:Ling Ⅱa,Ling Ⅱb and Ling Ⅱc;and type Ⅲ also had three subtypes:Ling Ⅲl,Ling Ⅲr and Ling Ⅲlr.Two endoscopists made a final decision upon mutual agreement through discussion if their separately recorded characteristics were different.RESULTS:Among the 976 screened patients with achalasia,636 patients with qualified endoscopic pictures were selected for the analysis,including 405 males and 231 females.The average age was 42.7 years,ranging from 6 to 93 years.Type Ⅰ was the most commonly observed type of achalasia,accounting for 64.5%(410/636),and type Ⅲ was the least commonly observed type of achalasia,accounting for 2.8%(18/636).And type Ⅱ accounted for 32.7%(208/636) and subtype of Ling Ⅱa,Ling Ⅱb and Ling Ⅱc accounted for 14.6%(93/636),9.9%(63/636) and 8.2%(52/636),respectively.And subtype of Ling Ⅲl,Ling Ⅲr and Ling Ⅲlr accounted for 0.8%(5/636),0.3%(2/636) and 1.7%(11/636),respectively.CONCLUSION:A new endoscopic classification of achalasia is proposed that might help in determining the proper candidates for POEM.

Current status in the treatment options for esophageal achalasia

Recent advances in the treatment of achalasia include the use of high-resolution manometry to predict the outcome of patients and the introduction of peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM).The first multicenter randomized,controlled,2-year follow-up study conducted by the European Achalasia Trial group indicated that laparoscopic Heller myotomy(LHM)was not superior to pneumatic dilations(PD).Publications on the long-term success of laparoscopic surgery continue to emerge.In addition,laparoscopic single-site surgery is applicable to advanced laparoscopic operations such as LHM and anterior fundoplication.The optimal treatment option is an ongoing matter of debate.In this review,we provide an update of the current progress in the treatment of esophageal achalasia.Unless new conclusive data prove otherwise,LHM is considered the most durable treatment for achalasia at the expense of increased reflux-associated complications.However,PD is the first choice for non-surgical treatment and is more costeffective.Repeated PD according to an"on-demand"strategy based on symptom recurrence can achieve long-term remission.Decision making should be based on clinical evidence that identifies a subcategory of patients who would benefit from specific treatment options.POEM has shown promise but its long-term efficacy and safety need to be assessed further.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia in patients aged ≥ 65 years

AIM:To investigate the safety and efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM) for achalasia in patients aged ≥ 65 years.METHODS:From November 2011 to August 2014,15 consecutive patients(aged ≥ 65 years) diagnosed with achalasia were prospectively recruited and all underwent POEM at our institution. Eckardt score,lower esophageal sphincter(LES) pressure,esophageal diameter,SF-36 questionnaire,and procedure-related complications were used to evaluate the outcomes.RESULTS:All 15 patients were treated successfully by POEM,with a median operation time of 55 min. Median myotomy length was 10 cm. Three patients underwent circular myotomy and 12 full-thickness myotomies. Symptoms remitted in all cases during post-POEM f o l l o w- u p o f 6- 3 9 m o. E c k a r d t s c o r e r e d u c e d significantly(pre-operation vs post-operation:8.0 vs 1.0,P < 0.05). Median LES pressure decreased from 27.4 to 9.6 mm Hg(P < 0.05). Median diameter of the esophagus was significantly decreased(pre-operation vs post-operation:51.0 mm vs 30.0 mm,P < 0.05). Only one patient had reflux,which was resolved with oral proton pump inhibitors. No serious complications related to POEM were found. The quality of life of the 15 patients improved significantly after POEM.CONCLUSION:POEM is a safe and effective technique for treatment of achalasia in patients aged ≥ 65 years,with improvement in symptoms and quality of life.

Temporary self-expanding metallic stents for achalasia: A prospective study with a long-term follow-up

AIM: To compare the efficacy of self-expanding metallic stents (SEMSs) for the long-term clinical treatment of achalasia. METHODS: Ninety achalasic patients were treated with a temporary SEMS with a diameter of 20 mm (n = 30, group A), 25 mm (n = 30, group B) or 30 mm (n = 30, group C). Data on clinical symptoms, complications and treatment outcomes were collected, and follow-up was made at 6 mo and at 1, 3-5, 5-8, 8-10 and > 10 years, postoperatively.RESULTS: Stent placement was successful in all patients. Although chest pain occurrence was high, stent migration was less in group C than in groups A and B. The clinical remission rate at 5-8, 8-10 and > 10 years in group C was higher than that in the other two groups. The treatment failure rate was lower in group C (13%) than in groups A (53%) and B (27%). SEMSs in group C resulted in reduced dysphagia scores and lowered esophageal sphincter pressures, as well as normal levels of barium height and width during all the follow-up time periods. Conversely, these parameters increased over time in groups A and B. The primary patency in group C was longer than in groups A and B. CONCLUSION: A temporary SEMS with a diameter of 30 mm is associated with a superior long-term clinical efficacy in the treatment of achalasia compared with a SEMS with a diameter of 20 mm or 25 mm.

Efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy vs other achalasia treatments in improving esophageal function

AIM: To assess and compare the esophageal function after peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM) vs other conventional treatments in achalasia.METHODS: Chart review of all achalasia patients who underwent POEM, laparoscopic Heller myotomy(LHM) or pneumatic dilation(PD) at our institution between January 2012 and March 2015 was performed. Patient demographics, type of achalasia, prior treatments, pre- and post-treatment timed barium swallow(TBE) and high-resolution esophageal manometry(HREM) findings were compared between the three treatment groups. Patients who had both pre- and 2 mo posttreatment TBE or HREM were included in the final analysis. TBE parameters compared were barium column height, width and volume of barium remaining at 1 and 5 min. HREM parameters compared were basal lower esophageal sphincter(LES) pressures and LES-integrated relaxation pressures(IRP). Data are presented as mean ± SD, median [25th, 75 th percentiles] or frequency(percent). Analysis of variance, KruskalWallis test, Pearsons χ~2 test and Fishers Exact tests were used for analysis.RESULTS: A total of 200 achalasia patients were included of which 36 underwent POEM, 22 underwent PD and 142 underwent LHM. POEM patients were older(55.4 ± 16.8 years vs 46.5 ± 15.7 years, P = 0.013) and had higher BMI than LHM(29.1 ± 5.9 kg/m^2 vs 26 ± 5.1 kg/m^2, P = 0.012). More number of patients in POEM and PD groups had undergone prior treatments compared to LHM group(72.2% vs 68.2% vs 44.3% respectively, P = 0.003). At 2 mo post-treatment, all TBE parameters including barium column height, width and volume remaining at 1 and 5 min improved significantly in all three treatment groups(P = 0.01 to P < 0.001) except the column height at 1 min in PD group(P = 0.11). At 2 mo post-treatment, there was significant improvement in basal LES pressure and LES-IRP in both LHM(40.5 mm Hg vs 14.5 mm Hg and 24 mm Hg vs 7.1 mm Hg respectively, P < 0.001) and POEM groups(38.7 mm Hg vs 11.4 mm Hg and 23.6 mm Hg vs 6.6 mm Hg respectively, P < 0.001). However, when the efficacy of three treatments were compared to each other in terms of improvement in TBE or HREM parameters at 2 mo, there was no significant difference(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: POEM, PD and LHM were all effective in improving esophageal function in achalasia at shortterm. There was no difference in efficacy between the three treatments.

Childhood achalasia: A comprehensive review of disease, diagnosis and therapeutic management

Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder character-ized by failure of lower esophageal sphincter(LES) relaxation and is rare in children. The most common symptoms are vomiting, dysphagia, regurgitation, and weight loss. Definitive diagnosis is made with barium swallow study and esophageal manometry. In adults, endoscopic biopsy is recommended to exclude malig-nancy however; it is not as often indicated in children. Medical management often fails resulting in recurrent symptoms and the ultimate definitive treatment is sur-gical. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with or without an anti-reflux procedure is the treatment of choice and has become standard of care for children with achala-sia. Peroral endoscopic myotomy is a novel therapy uti-lized with increasing frequency for achalasia treatment in adults. More experience is needed to determine the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of peroral endoscopic myotomy in children.

Current clinical approach to achalasia

Idiopathic achalasia is a rare primary motility disorder of the esophagus. The classical features are incomplete relaxation of a frequently hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and a lack of peristalsis in the tubular esophagus. These motor abnormalities lead to dysphagia, stasis, regurgitation, weight loss, or secondary respiratory complications. Although major strides have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of this rare disorder, including a probable autoimmune mediated destruction of inhibitory neurons in response to an unknown insult in genetically susceptible individuals, a definite trigger has not been identified. The diagnosis of achalasia is suggested by clinical features and conf irmed by further diagnostic tests, such as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), manometry or barium swallow. These studies are not only used to exclude pseudoachalasia, but also might help to categorize the disease by severity or clinical subtype. Recent advances in diagnostic methods, including high resolution manometry (HRM), might allow prediction of treatment responses. The primary treatments for achieving long-term symptom relief are surgery and endoscopic methods. Although limited high-quality data exist, it appears that laparoscopic Heller myotomy with partial fundoplication is superior to endoscopic methods in achieving long-term relief of symptoms in the majority of patients. However, the current clinical approach to achalasia will depend not only on patients' characteristics and clinical subtypes of the disease, but also on local expertise and patient preferences.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Chinese literature for the treatment of achalasia

AIM: To evaluate the effect of different approaches in the treatment of achalasia in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese literature by searching the Chinese Biomedical Database and Chinese scientific Journals database (up to March 2008). All cohort studies (controlled or uncontrolled) in which the patients were observed for more than a year were reviewed in detail. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for controlled trials. The efficacy in uncontrolled trials was assessed by a pooled estimate of response rate with individual studies weighted in proportion to the sample size. RESULTS: Seven controlled trials compared the effect of botulinum toxin injection (BoTx) with pneumatic dilation (PD). PD was superior to BoTx [65.2% vs 45.3%; RR 1.47 (95% CI 1.23-1.77), P < 0.0001], and had a lower clinical relapse rate (BoTx 30.2% vs PD 10%, RR 0.32 (0.16-0.65), P = 0.001). Heller myotomy (HM) had superior remission rate compared to PD [HM 94.0% vs PD 64.1%, RR 1.48 (1.15-1.99), P = 0.002]. In uncontrolled trials, the effectiveness of PD was 86.6% (23.9%) vs 94.8% (10.6%) for HM. The main complications of PD were perforation and gastroesophageal reflux disease. CONCLUSION: HM is the most effective long-term treatment for patients with achalasia in China. In the future, controlled clinical trials on the treatment of achalasia should focus on comparing laparoscopic myotomy with or without antireflux procedure,including different partial and total fundoplication techniques.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy:Major advance in achalasia treatment and in endoscopic surgery

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy(POEM)represents a natural orifice endoscopic surgery(NOTES)approach to laparoscopy Heller myotomy(LHM).POEM is arguably the most successful clinical application of NOTES.The growth of POEM from a single center in 2008 to approximately 60 centers worldwide in 2014 with several thousand procedures having been performed attests to the success of POEM.Initial efficacy,safety and acid reflux data suggest at least equivalence of POEM to LHM,the previous gold standard for achalasia therapy.Adjunctive techniques used in the West include impedance planimetry for real-time intraprocedural luminal assessment and endoscopic suturing for challenging mucosal defect closures during POEM.The impact of POEM extends beyond the realm of esophageal motility disorders as it is rapidly popularizing endoscopic submucosal dissection in the West and spawning offshoots that use the submucosal tunnel technique for a host of new indications ranging from resection of tumors to pyloromyotomy for gastroparesis.

Endoscope-guided pneumatic dilation for treatment of esophageal achalasia

Pneumatic dilation(PD) is considered to be the first line nonsurgical therapy for achalasia.The principle of the procedure is to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter by tearing its muscle fibers by generating radial force.The endoscope-guided procedure is done without fluoroscopic control.Clinicians usually use a lowcompliance balloon such as Rigiflex dilator to perform endoscope-guided PD for the treatment of esophageal achalasia.It has the advantage of determining mucosal injury during the dilation process,so that a repeat endoscopy is not needed to assess the mucosal tearing.Previous studies have shown that endoscope-guided PD is an efficient and safe nonsurgical therapy with results that compare well with other treatment modalities.Although the results may be promising,long-term follow-up is required in the near future.

Non-surgical treatment of esophageal achalasia

Esophageal achalasia is an infrequent motility disorder characterized by a progressive stasis and dilation of the oesophagus; with subsequent risk of aspiration, weight loss, and malnutrition. Although the treatment of achalasia has been traditionally based on a surgical approach, especially with the introduction of laparoscopic techniques, there is still some space for a medical approach. The present article reviews the non-surgical therapeutic options for achalasia.

Achalasia: A review of Western and Iranian experiences

Achalasia is a primary motor disorder of the eso-phagus, in which esophageal emptying is impaired. Diagnosis of achalasia is based on clinical fi ndings. The diagnosis is confirmed by radiographic, endoscopic, and manometric evaluations. Several treatments for achalasia have been introduced. We searched the PubMed Database for original articles and meta-analyses about achalasia to summarize the current knowledge regarding this disease, with particular focus on different procedures that are used for treatment of achalasia. We also report the Iranian experience of treatment of this disease, since it could be considered as a model for medium-resource countries. Myotomy, particularly laparoscopic myotomy with fundoplication, is the most effective treatment for achalasia. Compared to other treatments, however, the initial cost of myotomy is usually higher and the recovery period is longer. When performing myotomy is not indicated or not possible, graded pneumatic dilation with slow rate of balloon inflation seems to be an effective and safe initial alternative. Injection of botulinum toxin into the lower esophageal sphincter before pneumatic dilation may increase remission rates. However, this needs to be conf irmed in further studies. Due to lack of adequate information regarding the role of expandable stents in the treatment of achalasia, insertion of stents does not currently seem to be a recommended treatment. In summary, laparoscopic myotomy can be considered as the procedure of choice for treatment of achalasia. Graded pneumatic dilation is an effective alternative when the performance of myotomy is not possible for any reason.

2011 update on esophageal achalasia

There have been some breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal achalasia in the past few years.First,the introduction of high-resolution manometry with pressure topography plotting as a new diagnostic tool has made it possible to classify achalasia into three subtypes.The most favorable outcome is predicted for patients receiving treatment for type Ⅱ achalasia (achalasia with compression).Patients with typeⅠ(classic achalasia) and type Ⅲ achalasia (spastic achalasia) experience a less favorable outcome.Second,the first multicenter randomized controlled trial published by the European Achalasia Trial group reported 2-year follow-up results indicating that laparoscopic Heller myotomy was not superior to endoscopic pneumatic dilation (PD).Although the follow-up period was not long enough to reach a convincing conclusion,it merits the continued use of PD as a generally available technique in gastroenterology.Third,the novelendoscopic technique peroral endoscopic myotomy is a promising option for treating achalasia,but it requires increased experience and cautious evaluation.Despite all this good news,the bottom line is a real break-through from the basic studies to identify the actual cause of achalasia that may impede treatment success is still anticipated.

Family case of achalasia cardia: Case report and review of literature

Achalasia cardia is an idiopathic disease that occurs as a result of inflammation and degeneration of myenteric plexi leading to the loss of postganglionic inhibitory neurons required for relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and peristalsis of the esophagus.The main symptoms of achalasia are dysphagia,regurgitation,chest pain and weight loss.At present,there are three main hypotheses regarding etiology of achalasia cardia which are under consideration,these are genetic,infectious and autoimmune.Genetic theory is one of the most widely discussed.Case report given below represents an inheritable case of achalasia cardia which was not diagnosed for a long time in an 81-year-old woman and her 58-year-old daughter.