Esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring in esophagus surgery: 28-year Chinese experience in a single Center

Objective To retrospectively review the experience of esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring in esophagus surgery. Methods From 1982 to 2010, patients with unspecific chest pain and undergone esophageal surgery were received esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring. Results Among the patients with unspecific chest pain, 70.4%(74/105) were diagnosed as esophageal origin. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) can be continuously maintained by using 360° fundoplication. Only a minority of patients who underwent transabdominal esophagocardiomyotomy and partial posterior fundoplication had acid reflux postoperatively. Incidence rate of achalasia of upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and pharyngeal shoulder in side-to-side stapled anastomosis is significantly lower than in traditional hand-sewn anastomosis,as well as contractive pressure in anastomosis region and occurrence of swallow discomfortableness. There is a high pressure region at the esophageal entrance in patients with bilateral platysma muscle flap for cervical esophagus defect following removal of hypopharynx cancer. And the pressure of the region is significantly lower than in healthy controls. Basal pyloric pressure and peak pressure of pylorus in phase Ⅲ of the migrating motor complex increased significantly after gastric conduit was made and anastomosed, but decreased appreciably following pyloric digital fracture. Peak pressure, frequency and duration time of isolated pyloric pressure wave ( IPPW ) decreased after pyloric digital fracture significantly. Conclusion Esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring are important tools for and diagnosing unspecific chest pain and evaluating the outcome of new surgical procedures. Key words: Esophageal diseases; Esophageal manometric study 24-hour pH monitoring