An observational study in Type III Achalasia, EGJ Outflow Obstruction With Spastic/Hypercontractile Features and Jackhammer Esophagus, sponsored by Northwestern University. Recruiting at 16 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-13.
Sponsored by Northwestern University · Observational
The goal of this observational study is to learn about how the doctor decides how long to cut t the esophageal muscle during Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) in patients with difficulty swallowing due to certain conditions. The main question it aims to answer is: does pre-POEM testing help the physician choose how long to cut the muscle.
Participants will allow researchers to access their standard of care information in their medical record, complete questionnaires at up to 6 times over a 2-year period.
143 studies on the registry are indexed under Esophageal Achalasia; 44 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 200 is above the median of 111 across 41 observational studies indexed under Esophageal Achalasia.
Browse Esophageal Achalasia studies →Northwestern University is the lead sponsor of 1,423 studies on the registry; 198 are open to participants now.
Of its 105 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 78 (74%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Achalasia, EGJOO, and other spastic motility disorders are relatively rare and have substantial quality of life implications (see Protocol and Research Strategy for details). Given the prevalence and severity of these conditions, it is uncommon for patients with symptoms to not seek some form of treatment. Thus, we expect much of the recruitment to occur directly from site clinics, which include prominent esophageal motility experts and have robust referral networks, as patients seek care. A review of POEM procedure logs from participating CCs reveals that likely eligible patients are on average about 55-65 years old. We anticipate that the ethnic and racial distribution of our study group will be similar to prior achalasia studies with 25% African American, 10% Hispanic and 65% Caucasian.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Exclusion:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinical Response-Overall
Clinical Response is defined by the Eckardt score (a 4-item self-report scale measuring weight loss, chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphagia) with no need for retreatment in 2 years.
Time frame: From enrollment to Year 2
Clinical Response-by Sex
Clinical Response is defined by the Eckardt score (a 4-item self-report scale measuring weight loss, chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphagia) with no need for retreatment in 2 years.
Time frame: From enrollment to Year 2
Clinical Response-by Race
Clinical Response is defined by the Eckardt score (a 4-item self-report scale measuring weight loss, chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphagia) with no need for retreatment in 2 years.
Time frame: From Enrollment to Year 2
Clinical Response-by Ethnicity
Clinical Response is defined by the Eckardt score (a 4-item self-report scale measuring weight loss, chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphagia) with no need for retreatment in 2 years.
Time frame: From Enrollment to Year 2
Plan to share: Yes
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Clinical study report
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Start is estimated for Dec 2026; primary completion for Aug 2031, 56 months later.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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