Manometric and pH consequences of esophageal endosclerosis in children.

Twenty-seven manometric and 22 18-hour pH monitoring studies were done in 17 consecutive patients undergoing esophageal endosclerosis. Prior to endosclerosis, esophageal manometry was normal in eight of nine patients. Peristaltic dysfunction was observed in all 13 postendosclerosis patients and consisted of (1) decreased mean peristaltic amplitude pressures. Pressures were 61.4 and 74.7 mmHg at 0 to 2 cm and 3 to 4 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), respectively, prior to treatment. After endosclerosis, values fell to 30.2 and 43.3 mmHg; (2) a drop in mean resting LES pressure from 22.3 mmHg before endosclerosis to 17.1 mmHg afterward and (3) an increase in the rate of peristaltic propagation failure from 12% to 26% after endosclerosis. Esophageal pH monitoring demonstrated gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in three of seven patients before endosclerosis and in five of 11 patients afterward. Because of the major incidence of GER before endosclerosis, the procedure could not be causally incriminated. However, GER was roughly correlated with the severity of the manometric dysfunction. There was no correlation of GER or manometric abnormality with the number of endosclerosis treatment nor the interval between endosclerosis and pH and manometric studies. The remote sequelae of the abnormalities are conjectural.