Lower esophageal sphincter pressure before and after paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with intractable ascites

Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure was measured in 7 cirrhotic patients with massive ascites, before and after paracentesis. The mean LES pressure was 19.8 +/- 2.2 SEM mm Hg before and 16.3 +/- 1.4 SEM mm Hg after paracentesis (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that cirrhotic patients with massive ascites are protected from reflux esophagitis by having an increased LES pressure.