Pyloric reflux: a duodenal functional problem?

A manometric study of duodenal motor activity was performed in 8 duodeno-gastric (D.G.) reflux patients and in 5 healthy volunteers. The examination was done by an open-tip probe containing three catheters which was positioned in the descending portion of the duodenum. The evaluation of manometric data evidenced in D.G. reflux patients a Motility Index (M.I.) significantly higher than that of control subjects in all the three duodenal recording points both in basal conditions and after prostigmine stimulation. Evaluation of the percentage of coordinated waves showed that in D.G. reflex patients the waves had a frequency lower than that in normals. On the basis of these results we can conclude that the duodenum of patients with D.G. reflux exhibits hyperkinetic-dyskinetic disturbances suggesting an important role of the duodenum in determing D.G. reflux.