[Gastroesophageal reflux after esophageal surgery--evaluations based on esophageal transit scintigram]

By means of esophageal transit scintigram using 99mTc-DTPA, 15 patients (13 esophageal carcinomas and 2 cardia carcinomas) were studied, in whom esophagogastric anastomosis was done according to the posterior invagination anastomosis technique we had devised. In all 8 patients with anastomosis at cervical region, gastroesophageal reflux was not seen on both scintigrams before and after meals, and the average pressure gradient of high pressure zone at anastomosis was 39.8 cmH2O. In 2 of 7 patients with intrathoracic anastomosis, the scintigram before meals showed severe reflex, and the endoscopic findings showed diffuse and moderate erosion in the esophageal mucosa. The average pressure gradient across the anastomosis was 6.5 cmH2O. In these 2 patients, the new fornix with a sharp angle of His was not formed. In the remaining 5 patients with intrathoracic anastomosis, reflux was not seen on the scintigram before meals. However, in 2 of them, the scintigram after meal and endoscopic examination revealed mild reflux and mild esophagitis respectively. Furthermore in one patient very mild reflux was observed only on the scintigram after meals but the endoscopic findings showed the normal esophageal mucosa. In these 5 patients, the average pressure gradient across the anastomosis was 17.0 cmH2O, which was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than that in 2 patients with severe reflux and was significantly lower (p less than 0.01) than the mean value of high pressure zone in 8 patients with cervical anastomosis. In conclusion, it is presumed that the formation of a large fornix enough to store food and a sharp angle of His are important factors in maintaining an anti-reflux mechanism. The esophageal transit scintigram was proved to be an excellent technique in detecting and evaluating quantitatively gastroesophageal reflux.