Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy Biopsies of Achalasia Patients Reveal Schwann Cell Depletion in the Muscularis Propria

Achalasia is a neurodegenerative condition resulting in abnormal lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and impaired upstream esophageal body peristalsis.1 The pathophysiology and natural history of achalasia remain unclear, and evaluation of the histopathogenesis of achalasia has traditionally been challenging because the esophageal wall muscularis propria is not typically accessible via routine endoscopic biopsies.