ArticleiGIE : innovation, investigation and insights2026
Efficacy and safety of a novel technique using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle injection of botulinum toxin and balloon dilation in achalasia.
Article in iGIE : innovation, investigation and insights, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Aims: Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder characterized by the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. Endoscopic methods are currently the mainstay treatment of achalasia and include local administration of botulinum toxin (Botox; Allergan Aesthetics, Westport, Ireland), pneumatic dilation, and peroral endoscopic myotomy. Botox injections traditionally have been performed by standard endoscopy, which lacks precision requiring frequent interventions. Our study introduces a novel technique using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle injection of Botox combined with controlled radial expansion balloon dilation (EUS-BTID) for treating achalasia. We hypothesize that this combined approach will enhance the efficacy and offer a favorable safety profile compared with standard endoscopic Botox injection. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel technique using EUS-BTID to treat achalasia using electronic medical records. Results: Our study included a total of 43 patients, with a mean age of 76 years (standard deviation 14 years). The most frequent achalasia subtype was type II (46%). Among 16 patients (37.2%) who underwent multiple sessions of EUS-BTID, the number of sessions ranged from 2 to 14, with the 14-session maximum occurring in a single patient. The average interval between repeat procedures across all patients was 273 days. The primary outcome of improved dysphagia scores, measured by the Eckardt score, was observed in 86.7% of patients, with 70.0% achieving scores indicative of complete remission. After EUS-BTID, the median Eckhardt score significantly improved from 6 (interquartile range, 4-7) to 2 (interquartile range, 1-4) ( Conclusion: The novel EUS-BTID technique appears to be an effective and safe treatment option for achalasia. The combination of endoscopic ultrasound-guided Botox injection and balloon dilation offers significant improvements in symptom relief with a favorable safety profile and durability and can be applied in high-risk patients or probably as a bridge to more definitive therapy. Although our study provides encouraging evidence supporting the use of EUS-BTID, further research is required to validate these findings.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.