• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.717-721
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• 1994

Extramucosal esophagomyotomy by thoracotomy, first described by Heller in 1913 was the principal therapy for achalasia. Recently however, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has been implied in esophageal surgery, and we have experienced 23 year old male patient with dysphagia and was diagnosed as achalasia who underwent thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy. The esophagogram showed typical bird beak appearance and the lower esophageal sphincter pressure was increased to 35 mmHg. Thoracoscopic surgery was done twice due to incomplete myotomy in first operation and the patient was released of dysphagia in the second operation.