Esophageal Motility and Acid Clearance in Patients with Esophageal Varices

Park, Soong Kook; Kang, Young Woo; Cho, Kwang Bum

Abstract

The presense of the esophageal varices might have a partial machanical obstruction and cushion effect on esophageal lumen due to blood within the varices. It may affect on the motility and acid clearance in the esophagus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acid clearance and the esophageal motility according to the degree of the varices in patients with esophageal varices. We have performed esophageal manometry and acid clearance test in 41 patients with esophageal varices. Esophageal motility disorder was abserved in 29.4% of patients with esophageal varices. The number of swallowing for acid clearance was significantly increased in patients with esophageal varices than control group(23.5 +/- 14.1 Vs 6.1 +/- 1.6, p=0.004). However, there was no significant corelation with form, location, and redcolor sign of the varices. In conclusion, patients with esophageal varices accompanied esophageal motility disorders and delayed acid clearance. This results might be a useful referance data for changes in esophageal motility before and after treatment of esophageal varices.