Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM)

What is POEM?

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health is proud to be home to some of the leading researchers in the development and study of the groundbreaking peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) procedure in children.

Surgery is one of the most effective treatments for achalasia because cutting the esophageal muscles helps improve the movement of food into the stomach. For a long time, this surgery was done from outside the body, which could lead to scarring, long recovery times, and other complications that come with traditional surgery.

POEM, on the other hand, is an endoscopic surgical procedure that is performed through a tube that enters through the mouth. Using this technology, doctors are able to cut the muscles without cutting into the skin or abdomen. This means there are no scars, and patients are often able to be back at a normal level of activity within one to two days after the procedure.