Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)
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.
Quick facts
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What is it for?
Procedure to treat achalasia
Treatment overview
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.
Why choose The London Clinic
Excellence in one place
The London Clinic, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Surrounded by the latest treatments and advice, you’ll have everything you need to get back to your best health. Our patient rooms are designed for your comfort, while our catering team, in collaboration with expert dietitians, provide healthy, delicious meals to support your recovery.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. Our teams will be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs and giving you the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing you’re in the best hands. To provide exceptional care, we keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience. You’ll notice the difference.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it’s your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve
What's included in your package?
Choosing The London Clinic means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That’s why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our finance options here.
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you’re paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more here.
FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.