At The London Clinic, we provide a private peroral endoscopic myotomy service using the latest minimally invasive techniques where no external incisions (cuts) are needed. Right in the heart of Harley street, you’ll be seen by one of our world renowned gastroenterologists who will guide you from pre-op, right through to recovery.
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What is it for?
Procedure to treat achalasia
Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) consultation at The London Clinic
A peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a procedure to relax the ring of muscles (sphincter) that allows food to pass from your oesophagus (food pipe) into your stomach.
If you have a condition known as achalasia, the muscles of your oesophagus may not work properly, which can make it difficult for you to swallow (known as dysphagia). Food can get stuck, giving you heartburn, nausea and chest pain.
Your surgeon may recommend a peroral endoscopic myotomy to help improve the condition.
One of our world leading gastroenterologists will perform your procedure at our main hospital near Harley Street.
You’ll need to stay with us for two or three nights to monitor your recovery and take further tests to check your progress.
By choosing The London Clinic, you’ll get a more compassionate and connected kind of care, from enhanced pre-admission, through to aftercare and follow up.
Contact us today, so you can start your treatment journey and get back to the life you love.
FAQs
Similar to a gastroscopy, your surgeon will place an endoscope into your stomach via your mouth. The endoscope has a camera at its tip, which sends pictures of the ring of muscles separating your oesophagus and your stomach to a video screen.
Using a special electrosurgical knife, your surgeon will make a tiny cut (incision) in the lining of these muscles and cut the muscle layer so it relaxes.
Your surgeon then closes the cut with endoscopic clips.
A POEM normally takes one to three hours under a general anaesthetic.
Once the surgery is complete, we’ll take you to the recovery suite so we can monitor you while you come round from the anaesthetic.
You should feel better a few days following the procedure and be able to get back to your daily routine quite quickly.
How long it takes to recover from your peroral endoscopic myotomy depends on how fit and healthy you are before your procedure.
At The London Clinic, the gastroenterologists who offer peroral endoscopic myotomy are world leaders in their field.
During your two to three night stay at the clinic, your dedicated care team and nurse will be on hand to look after you.
To make you feel more comfortable while you’re with us, we offer extra touches like a personalised food menu and optional therapies such as reiki and massage.
Once you’re ready to leave The London Clinic, we will give you advice to follow to make sure you recover safely at home.
A peroral endoscopic myotomy is a relatively new and safe procedure with a high success rate.
After surgery you should find it easier to swallow. If you’ve lost weight because of difficulty swallowing, you should start to regain weight, as eating and drinking becomes easier.
Symptoms of reflux, heartburn and chest pain should improve.
It’s a minimally invasive procedure so you won’t be left with any scars on your skin.
A peroral endoscopic myotomy is a very safe procedure and complications are rare.
Side effects can include:
- Perforation of the oesophagus
- Bleeding
- Infection
Failure of the procedure (studies show 90% of patients are still well after 2 years)
A small percentage of people develop postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and will need to take antacid medication
We offer enhanced pre-assessment before your surgery and rehabilitation afterwards so we can help prevent this from happening.
A POEM is a procedure to cut the muscles that allow food to pass from your oesophagus to your stomach to treat swallowing difficulties.
A myotomy is the name given to a procedure where a muscle is cut or divided.
Peroral means by mouth. Endoscopic means using a tool known as an endoscope, which is a long thin flexible tube that has a camera and instruments attached to it that can be passed through your mouth to your stomach.
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Timeline
Book an appointment
Our dedicated appointments team will arrange for you to meet with one of our renowned consultants in our clinic near Harley Street.
Diagnosis and treatment plan
Your gastroenterologist will ask you about your general health and explain the benefits and risks of the procedure.
They will then arrange for you to have a number of tests, such as: An oesophageal manometry A barium swallow (X-ray) An endoscopy
Pre-operative assessment
You’ll then have a follow up pre-operative assessment with your care team so they can: Advise you on what you can or can’t eat before and after the procedure Advise you on any medications you might need such as antibiotics
The day of your procedure
Your care team will prepare you for the procedure and let you know exactly what to expect during the day.
Aftercare and follow-up
During your stay at the clinic, you’ll have a series of tests to check everything is working as expected. Your care nurse will explain which foods you can eat and drink after the procedure.
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
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More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.
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Full intensive care on-site
World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.
Investing in clinical excellence
Backed by Northwestern, we equip our teams with cutting-edge medical equipment.
0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.