Is cricoid pressure effective in patients with achalasia?

Rapid sequence induction/intubation (RSII) is commonly used to anesthetize patients with achalasia but the effective cricoid pressure (CP) needed to occlude the esophageal entrance has not been established and its effectiveness has been questioned, since the dilated esophagus is wider than the cricoid cartilage. We document the effectiveness of CP using contrast imaging in a 34-year-old, 70kg symptomatic achalasia patient who consented for a contrast imaging study of the pharynx. The esophagus was emptied of 800ml of semi-liquid non-digested food.

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