Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The failure of a ring of muscle fibers, such as a sphincter of the esophagus, to relax.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A neuromuscular problem where a ring of
muscles is unable to fully relax.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Future victims of achalasia - a rare disease that makes it difficult to eat and can cause drastic weight loss - may no longer have to wear scars after surgery.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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Medical Center doctors have performed America's first incision-free myotomy, a procedure to treat achalasia, a distressing disorder which causes
WN.com - Articles related to Nissan says customers likely to lease batteries 2010
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According to Santiago Horgan, chief of minimally invasive surgery at UCSD and the doctor who performed the myotomy, there are two ways achalasia can manifest.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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If so, according to Horgan, the procedure could become a standard treatment for achalasia.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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In the U.S., however, achalasia is primarily a genetic disease.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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John Slepicka, a patient who offered himself up for the trial noninvasive surgery, lost 30 pounds over the two years that he suffered from achalasia, and found that other surgeries did not work for him.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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Traditionally, to treat achalasia, surgeons made incisions in patients 'chests to gain access to the esophagus and stomach.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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Department of Justice to resolve investigation on ETHEX Surgeons perform nation's first incision-free myotomy procedure to treat achalasia AST now offers programs and services to treat children with developmental disorders DNC Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman issues statement praising President Obama's bipartisan meeting BioClinica Optimizer launched for clinical supply planning and management
THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010
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A myotomy is a surgery designed to reverse the effects of achalasia, which directly impacts the esophagus - the muscles lining the inside of the throat - by inhibiting the ability to swallow and making it difficult for patients to carry food down their stomachs.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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When this happens, achalasia patients can experience chest pains, and often regurgitate their food.
The Guardian Anqi Chen 2010
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