Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder involving the smooth muscle layer of the esophagus and the lower esophageal sphincter. It is characterized by difficulty swallowing, regurgitation, and sometimes chest pain. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) was developed by Inoue to provide a less invasive permanent treatment for esophageal achalasia. We applied this method to cure successfully a 47-year-old female with achalasia. The procedure was as follows: after creating submucosal tunnel, endoscopic myotomy of circular muscle bundles was carried out at approximately 16 cm in total length ( 15 cm in distal esophagus and 1 cm in cardia). Smooth passing of endoscope through gastroesophageal junction was confirmed at the end of the procedure. The third day after POEM, the barium meal examination revealed the barium smoothly passed though the cardia. The short-term outcome of POEM for achalasia was excellent, and further studies on long-term efficacy and on comparison of POEM with other interventional therapies are awaited.

Objective To study the diagnostic and therapeutic value of 1.4-metre colonoscope for upper jejunum lesions. Methods From 2008 to 2009, patients with suspected upper jejunum lesions, who presented as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding or other digestive symptoms and got no definite diagnosis from gastroscopy and entire digestive tract barium meal, were recruited as experimental group (n = 115) and underwent an examination with 1.4-metre endoscope. The endoscope was inserted into proximal jejunum, biopsy or treatment was performed according to the found lesions. Another 115 patients from 2004 to 2007, who presented with similar situation but were examined with gastroscope, were recruited as control group. Results Descending duodenum was accessed successfully in all cases from 2 groups. Horizontal duodenum was accessed in 112 and 107 cases of experimental group and control, respectively (97. 39% vs. 93.04%, P ＞0. 05), while the ascending part was accessed in 109 and 72 cases, respectively (94.78% vs. 62.61%, P＜0.005), and the proximal jejunum was accessed in 102 and 35 cases, respectively (88.70% vs. 30. 43%, P ＜ 0. 005). A total of 31 (26. 96%) lesions were found in experimental group, which was significantly higher than that in control group (6/115, 5.22%, P ＜0.005). Biopsy or endoscopic management was performed in 20 cases from experimental group, in which 12 occupying lesions were confirmed by pathology and surgery. In control group, 1 case of stromal tumor, 1 adenocarcinma, 1 P-J syndrome and 3 ancylostomiasis at horizontal duodenum were confirmed. Conclusion 1.4-metre endoscope can be inserted deeper than gastroscope, and is of better diagnostic value for bleeding in descending duodenum, especially in upper jejunum.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of transgastrie endoscopic surgery for the treatment of pancreatic abscess or pancreatic cyst and infection.MethodsThe clinical data of 22 patients with pancreatic abscess or pancreatic cyst and infection who underwent transgastric puncture and drainage or transgastric debridement under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) at the Xinqiao Hospital of Third Military Medical University from July 2008 to August 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were comfirmed with bacteria infection after liquid aspiration culture. Patients with pancreatic abscess underwent endoscopic transgastric debridement,and for patients with pancreatic cyst and infection,10 F double pigtail stent and 8.5 F nasal bile duct were placed for drainage.ResultsThe results of liquid aspiration culture confirmed that 2 patients were infected by staphylococcus aureus,3 by proteus mirabilis,4 by pseudomonas aeruginosa,4 by klebsiella and 9 by escherichia coli bacilli.The double pigtail stent and nasal bile duct were installed under EUS (16 patients) or duodenoscope (6 patients).The lesions of 9 patients with pancreatic abscess were healed after endoscopic transgastric debridement with an average period of (6.5 + 1.8 )weeks,and the lesions of 13 patients with pancreatic cyst and infection were healed after transgastric puncture and drainage under the guidance of EUS with an average period of ( 8.3 ± 2.1 ) weeks.All patients were followed up for 2 years,and no recurrence of pancreatic abscess or pancreatic cyst was observed.ConclusionThe effect of transgastric endoscopic surgery for the treatment of pancreatic abscess or pancreatic cyst and infection is satisfactory.