Novel Pharmaceutical Approaches to Reflux Disease
Acid suppression, with proton pump inhibitors (PPI), is the mainstay of therapy for reflux disease; despite this, symptoms and injury persist in many patients. Novel approaches have focused on (1)…
Extraesophageal Manifestations of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
This article discusses the current state of knowledge regarding the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pulmonary and ear/nose/throat manifestations of reflux and outlines the recent developments in the…
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Sleep
There is strong evidence of a bidirectional relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease and sleep disturbances. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) events during the night result in sleep disturbances that include difficulty in…
Management of Achalasia
Achalasia is a rare motility disorder of the esophagus characterized by the absence of peristalsis and defective relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Patients present at all ages with dysphagia…
Management of Spastic Disorders of the Esophagus
The concept of esophageal spastic disorders encompasses spastic achalasia, distal esophageal spasm, and jackhammer esophagus. These are conceptually distinct in that spastic achalasia and distal esophageal spasm are characterized by…
Impedance-pH Testing
Pharmacologic treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease is based upon gastric acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). In many patients, symptoms persist despite PPI treatment. For some, ongoing symptoms may…
High-Resolution Manometry and Esophageal Pressure Topography
Although conventional manometry set the basis for the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders, the large axial spacing between recording sites leaves large portions of the esophagus unevaluated and vulnerable to…
Benign and Malignant Esophageal Diseases
Nicholas J. Shaheen, MD, MPH, Editor The esophagus is the unsung hero of the chest. In every literary and proverbial setting, the heart gets top billing. For instance, if one…
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Soon after GIST was recognized as a tumor driven by a KIT or platelet-derived growth factor…
Gastric Carcinoids (Neuroendocrine Neoplasms)
Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms of the stomach can be divided into the usually well-differentiated, hypergastrinemia-dependent type I and II lesions and the more aggressively behaving gastrin-independent type III lesions. Studying menin…
