Endoscopy 2021; 53(05): 462-468
DOI: 10.1055/a-1204-4242
Original article

Outcomes of anterior versus posterior peroral endoscopic myotomy 2 years post-procedure: prospective follow-up results from a randomized clinical trial

Yervant Ichkhanian
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Jad P. Abimansour
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Mathieu Pioche
2   Endoscopy and Gastroenterology Unit, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France
,
Kia Vosoughi
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Nicholas Eleftheriadis
3   Endoscopy Department, Gastroenterology Unit, Metropolitan Hospital Athens, Athens, Greece
4   Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
,
Philip Wai Yan Chiu
5   Division of Upper GI and Metabolic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
,
Hitomi Minami
6   Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagazaki University Hospital, Nagazaki, Japan
,
Kumi Ogihara
6   Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagazaki University Hospital, Nagazaki, Japan
,
Omid Sanaei
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Manol Jovani
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Mouen A. Khashab
1   Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Background Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is considered a primary treatment modality for achalasia. It can be performed using either the anterior or posterior approach. A previous randomized clinical trial (RCT) showed that the posterior approach was noninferior to the anterior approach at 1 year post-POEM in terms of clinical success, rate of adverse event, and risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this post-RCT study was to compare outcomes at ≥ 2 years post-POEM.

Methods Patients who previously completed the 1-year follow-up were contacted and their Eckardt, dysphagia, and GERD questionnaire (GERDQ) scores and frequency of proton pump inhibitor use were recorded. Clinical success was defined as an Eckardt score < 3.

Results 150 patients were initially randomized and 138 completed the 1-year follow-up. Of the 138, 111 (anterior group 54, posterior group 57) also completed ≥ 2 years of follow-up, with an overall clinical success decrease from 89 % to 82 %. At ≥ 2 years post-POEM, clinical success was achieved in 46/54 (85 %) and 45/57 (79 %) in the anterior and posterior groups, respectively (P = 0.43). A similar decrease in clinical success was noted in both groups at ≥ 2 years (anterior: 90 % to 85 %; posterior 89 % to 79 %; P = 0.47). GERDQ score was 6 (interquartile range 6 – 8; P = 0.08) in both treatment groups.

Conclusions The anterior and posterior POEM techniques remained equally effective at 2 years and decreases in efficacy were similar between the two approaches over time. GERD outcomes were also similar in both groups during medium-term follow-up.

Supplementary material



Publication History

Received: 05 April 2020

Accepted: 22 June 2020

Accepted Manuscript online:
22 June 2020

Article published online:
21 July 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
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