Results of the surgical treatment of non-advanced megaesophagus using Heller–Pinotti's surgery: Laparotomy vs. Laparoscopy

Dysphagia is the important symptom in achalasia, and surgery is the most common treatment. The Heller–Pinotti technique is the method preferred by Brazilian surgeons. For many years, this technique was performed by laparotomy, and now the laparoscopic method has been introduced. The objective was to evaluate the immediate and long-term results of patients submitted to surgery by either laparotomy or laparoscopy. A total of 67 patients submitted to surgery between 1994 and 2001 with at least 5 years of follow-up were evaluated retrospectively and divided into two groups: laparotomy (41 patients) and laparoscopy (26 patients). Chagas was the etiology in 76.12% of cases. Dysphagia was evaluated according to the classification defined by Saeed et al. There were no cases of conversion to open surgery. The mean duration of hospitalization was 3.32 days for laparotomy and 2.54 days for laparoscopy (p