부산대학교 도서관

Achalasia is a rare motor disorder that is frequently associated with poor fetal outcomes and serious maternal complications due to severe malnutrition. Symptoms of achalasia include dysphagia, regurgitation, weight loss, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms may be mistaken for hyperemesis gravidarum in early pregnancy. We report a case of a 37-year-old pregnant woman who was treated conservatively as hyperemesis gravidarum at first, but later was diagnosed as achalasia with persistent symptoms and was treated by pneumatic dilatation. If symptoms of emesis persist after the first half of pregnancy, clinicians should suspect a possibility of achalasia. Pneumatic dilatation is currently the main treatment for achalasia in pregnancy because of lower risk, lower cost and good efficacy.