Progression of diffuse esophageal spasm to achalasia: Report of a rare case

Background: Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) and achalasia share both clinical and manometric characteristics. The progression of certain primary esophageal motor disorders to classic achalasia has been documented. We describe a case of a 44-year-old man, who has suffered from progressive symptoms of dysphagia for solid foods and chest pain for the previous 2 years, and lost 8 kg of bodyweight during this period. Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) was diagnosed: esophageal manometry showed simultaneous contractions, with mean simultaneous contraction amplitude of > 30 mmHg and multiple peak contraction. He was advised…