HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shoenut, J. P. Articles by Teskey, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shoenut, J. P. Articles by Teskey, J. M.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 45, 303-305, Copyright © 1988 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

ARTICLES

Reflux patterns in patients with achalasia without operation

JP Shoenut, BG Trenholm, AB Micflikier and JM Teskey
Department of Medicine, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Man, Canada.

Five patients with achalasia who had not had an operation underwent esophageal manometry and 24-hour, ambulatory pH monitoring to determine the pattern and extent of esophageal reflux. One patient had reflux within normal limits. In 2 patients, reflux occurred 0.5% of the total time and no episodes of supine reflux were recorded. In the 2 remaining patients, reflux was measured 16.8% and 55.3% of the total time; however, in both patients, these results were influenced by lengthy bouts of supine reflux. These indices of reflux were not influenced by differences in resting lower esophageal sphincter tone, position, or length. Twenty-four-hour esophageal pH monitoring can be useful in the preoperative assessment of patients with achalasia, and the information obtained might influence the choice of operative procedure.