Oesophageal emptying in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux

Abstract

A reproducible radionuclide technique for measurement of oesophageal emptying of a solid bolus has been used to study normal control subjects, patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux and a subgroup of these patients before and after fundoplication. The number of swallows to empty the oesophagus was significantly delayed in the gastro‐oesophageal reflux group compared to controls (P < 0.001). As a group, patients describing dysphagia had slower oesophageal emptying than patients without dysphagia (P < 0.001). The presence or absence of pre‐existing oesophagitis did not influence oesophageal emptying significantly. Following fundoplication patients did not show any significant alteration in their oesophageal emptying compared with their pre‐operative studies, although individually changes were noted in two patients. The solid bolus oesophageal emptying test is easily performed, well tolerated by patients and is a useful method for studying oesophageal dysfunction.