B. Isaksson et al., LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF REPEATED INJECTION SCLEROTHERAPY ON ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY AND MUCOSA, Surgical endoscopy, 11(6), 1997, pp. 663-667
Background: Endoscopic sclerotherapy (ST), widely used as treatment of
bleeding esophageal varices, might cause motility disturbances of the
esophagus as well as mucosal damage. We performed this study to evalu
ate the long-term effects of repeated sclerotherapy on esophageal moti
lity and mucosa. Methods: Ten patients with liver cirrhosis and bleedi
ng esophageal varices treated with repeated ST were evaluated after th
e last ST, median 52 months, by esophageal manometry and gastroscopy w
here forceps biopsies were taken. Results: We found a significant diff
erence in the distal esophageal sphincter intraabdominal length. The d
istal esophageal sphincter pressure was somewhat lower in the ST group
although the difference did not reach statistical significance. There
was infiltration of neutrophil leukocytes in biopsies from four patie
nts and normal findings in the rest. Conclusions: Long-term follow-up
evaluation showed statistically longer distal esophageal intraabdomina
l length in the ST group. No mucosal alterations were found at the his
topathological investigation.