Achalasia is a motility disorder caused by neural dysfunction which may involve both the myenteric plexus of the oesophagus, the vagal nerves, and the dorsal motor nucleus.^1,2 The aetiology of the disorder is still obscure, viral infection and autoimmunity having been suggested. Recently, Park and Vaezi¹ proposed that different environmental factors in patients with genetic predisposition could lead to the same clinical picture and manometric findings.

As part of an ongoing prospective study in patients with achalasia,³ we have investigated if chest trauma could be involved in the development of achalasia. Twenty consecutive achalasia patients (eight men), …