A Case of Achalasia Detected in a Health Check-up

Abstract

We report a case of achalasia, which was identified and diagnosed through a health check-up. The patient was 24-year-old woman who in screening during a periodic employee health check-up had an abnormal finding on the right lung in a posteroanterior (PA) view chest X-ray. As the result of a thorough investigation, the patient was diagnosed with mild aspiration pneumonia and it was accompanied by suspected esophageal dilation, which was revealed by chest computed tomography (CT). The dilation was later confirmed by barium swallow and imaging. After completing the treatment regimen for aspiration pneumonia, pneumatic dilation (PD) was performed. Post-procedural examination indicated disappearance of symptoms. Also, the 24-month post-op follow-up did not indicate re-emergence of achalasia. However, long-term follow-up is still essential. Especially in young adults, it is necessary to identify the cause of aspiration pneumonia in an investigation.