Esophageal dysfunction in esophagopharyngeal regurgitation.

Esophageal manometry was performed in 20 patients with esophagopharyngeal regurgitation, in 20 patients with severe chronic heartburn but without regurgitation, and in 20 normal subjects. The purpose of the procedure was to identify possible differences between these groups in upper esophageal sphincter and lower esophageal sphincter resting pressures, and in amplitude of peristaltic contraction in the distal esophagus. The mean peak upper esophageal sphincter pressures in normal subjects and in patients with chronic heartburn were significantly greater than in the patients with esophagopharyngeal regurgitation (101 and 108 vs. 54 mmHg, respectively). In the normal subjects, the mean lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure (19 mmHg) was significantly greater than for the heartburn group (14 mmHg) and for the patients with esophagopharyngeal regurgitation (10 mmHg). The amplitude of peristalsis was significantly lower in the group with regurgitation than in both normal subjects and the group with chronic heartburn. Nine normal subjects responded to intraesophageal infusion of 0.9% NaCl and 0.1 N HCl with a significant increase in upper esophageal sphincter resting pressure, but the group with esophagopharyngeal regurgitation showed no significant change. Patients with esophagopharyngeal regurgitation have lower esophageal sphincter hypotension, diminished peristaltic amplitude, upper esophageal sphincter hypotension, and diminished upper esophageal sphincter response to intraesophageal fluid. We conclude there is in these patients a breakdown of several normal esophageal mechanisms which ordinarily serve as barriers to esophagopharyngeal regurgitation.