Before the Procedure

Your care team will give you detailed instructions so you know how to prepare. You will need to follow a liquid diet for one or more days prior to the procedure. Your doctor may also adjust your medications, including blood thinner medications, before you arrive at the hospital.

During the Procedure

Doctors perform POEM in a hospital under general anesthesia, which means you are asleep during the procedure. Your anesthesiologist delivers general anesthesia through an IV and monitors you while you are asleep.

During the procedure, your doctor guides the endoscope into your mouth and down your throat. The endoscope’s camera shows real-time, magnified video of your esophagus on a monitor in the operating room. Your doctor uses the images on the screen to guide treatment during the procedure.

Using very small precision tools, your doctor makes precise cuts to the muscle inside your esophagus to open up your esophagus. When finished, the doctor removes the endoscope through your mouth.

After the Procedure

You will need to stay in the hospital for observation. Your care team will give you medication to relieve pain, control nausea, and prevent infection. While you are in the hospital, your doctor may recommend an X-ray to see images of your esophagus.

For about a week following the POEM procedure, you will need to be on a liquid-only diet. Your care team will let you know when you can start introducing soft foods and solid foods back into your diet.

To prevent or reduce acid reflux and to promote healing, your doctor may recommend a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). This medication reduces the amount of acid your stomach produces.

To monitor your recovery following POEM, your care team will recommend several follow-up appointments. You may need additional X-rays, endoscopy, or other tests to see how your esophagus muscles are working.