Pseudoachalasia secondary to metastatic bladder cancer

Pseudoachalasia, or secondary achalasia, is a clinical condition that must be distinguished from primary achalasia. Both diagnoses may present similarly, but the aetiology and management for each are drastically different. Most significantly, pseudoachalasia carries a high association with malignancy, most often with primary adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or cardia. Our case involves a patient with signs and symptoms consistent with pseudoachalasia due to metastatic bladder cancer.

Is secondary achalasia a reality? Primary versus secondary achalasia: Role of barium swallow

This study was conducted in the Department of Radiology Mayo Hospital, Lahore from January 2002 to December 2002. 30 Patients with findings on barium swallow of Achalasia were taken. Post procedure follow up was carried out either in the shape of endoscopic biopsy or post operative biopsy. The results showed that 25 out of 30 had Primary Achalasia and 5 had Secondary Achalasia. The results were compared with age of the patients and it was found that Secondary Achalasia, which was due to carcinoma of the lower esophagus or fundus of stomach, was virtually non existent before the age of 30. These were 5 patients all above 30 years of age.