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Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM)

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Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures in Gastroenterology

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Abstract

Traditionally endoscopic pneumatic dilation and laparoscopic Heller myotomy have been the standard first-line treatment for achalasia. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) combines the minimally invasive endoscopic approach of pneumatic dilation with the direct vision myotomy precision of LHM. With several thousand cases done worldwide, POEM should not be labeled as experimental procedure anymore considering the well-documented very high technical and midterm clinical success rates along with excellent safety profile. However before starting a POEM program, it is extremely important to thoroughly verse oneself with the indications, contraindications, instruments, and accessories to be used for the procedure, procedure steps along with the complications, management of complications, and follow-up in these patients. In this comprehensive chapter on POEM, we describe these factors and also include our personal experience at our center.

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Pannu, D., Yang, D., Draganov, P.V. (2018). Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM). In: Sridhar, S., Wu, G. (eds) Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures in Gastroenterology. Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62993-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62993-3_11

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