Esophageal Dysmotility

Esophageal dysmotility is when the muscles in esophagus do not work properly. Children with esophageal dysmotility often have dysphagia or difficulty swallowing foods and liquids. All children with esophageal atresia are born with some type of esophageal dysmotility and symptoms can worsen as they get older due to multiple reasons.

The symptoms of esophageal dysmotility can include:

• Heartburn (a burning feeling in the throat or chest)
• Regurgitating of food
• Chest pain
• Trouble swallowing
• The feeling that something is stuck in the throat and/or chest
• Inability to keep down saliva or secretions – this may be a sign that food is stuck or impacted in the esophagus and may require a surgical removal
• Weight loss

There are several reasons a child may have esophageal dysmotility. These can include:

• Swelling, disease or infection in the esophagus
• A problem with the nerves of the brain and/or in the wall of the esophagus that affects how the muscles work
• A problem with the muscles in the esophagus, mouth or throat

The treatment for esophageal motility depends on what is causing the condition. Treatment options can be surgical or non-surgical depending on the severity of the disease. Some potential non-surgical options include but are not limited to changes in your child’s diet, injections of botulinum toxin (botox) in the area of concern, and dilation or stretching of the tissue of the esophagus with a balloon using the a long tube called an endoscope. Surgical options will depend on the cause of the underlying reason for each patient’s esophageal dysmotility. Treatment with surgery will be considered after the appropriate evaluation has been made and surgery is recommended by the team members of the esophageal atresia program.