Abstract
Background: In view of the unsatisfactory results of medical and surgical treatment of reflux esophagitis, a treatment modality with polytetrafluoro-ethylene injection in the lower esophagus is presented.
Methods: Twenty-one patients (13 men, 8 women; mean age 47.7 years) presented with a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure which was significantly lower than normal (mean 5.3±1.1 SD cm H2O) (P<0.001). Four to 6 ml Polytef was injected submucosally into the lower esophagus at 3 and 9 o'clock. Patients were followed up for 18–24 months.
Results: No complications were encountered. In the first 3 postinjection months, symptoms disappeared and LES pressure was elevated (mean 24.2±6.6 SD cm H2O) (P<0.001). At the 6th month, LES pressure dropped in nine patients (P<0.05), of whom three had become symptomatic again and were reinjected. Endoscopically, esophageal hyperemia and erosion disappeared in 16 patients. At the 12th month, LES pressure was normal in 10 patients; the remaining 11 showed a significant LES pressure drop (P<0.01) with reflux manifestations and were reinjected. At the 18th month, LES pressure was normal in all patients; endoscopically, there was mild lower esophageal hyperemia in five patients. The nine patients who were followed for 24 months had normal LES pressure and endoscopic findings and were symptom-free.
Conclusions: Polytef injection achieved LES competence through elevation of LES pressure and restoration of lower esophageal rosette. Pressure drop could be due to implant egress. The technique is simple and easy, has no complications, and is performed on an outpatient basis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angelchik JP, Cohen R (1979) A new surgical procedure for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux and hiatus hernia. Surg Gynecol Obstet 148: 246–248
Belsey R (1977) Surgical treatment of hiatus hernia and reflux esophagitis—introduction. World J Surg 1:421–423
Benz LJ, Hootkin AL, Margulies S, Donner MW, Cauthorne RT, Hendrix TR (1972) A comparison of clinical measurements of gastroesophageal reflux. Gastroenterology 62: 1–6
Berg S (1973) Polytef augmentation urethroplasty. Arch Surg 107: 279–281
Blackwell JN, Castell DO (1984) Esophageal chest pain: a point of view. Gut 25: 1–6
Collins BJ, Elliott H, Sloan JM, McFarland RJ, Love AHG (1985) Esophageal histology in reflux esophagitis. J Clin Pathol 38: 1265–1272
De Caestecker JS, Brown J, Blackwell JN, Heading RD (1985) The esophagus as a cause of recurrent chest pain: which patients should be investigated and which tests should be used? Lancet 2: 1144–1146
DeMeester TR, O'Sullivan GC, Bermudez G, Midell AI, Cimochowski GE, O'Drobinak J (1982) Esophageal function in patients with angina-type chest pain and normal coronary arteriograms. Ann Surg 196: 488–497
Edwards DAW (1981) The antireflux mechanism. J Clin Gastroenterol 3: 109–113
Hill LD (1967) An effective operation for hiatus hernia. An eight year appraisal. Ann Surg 166: 681–688
Hill LD (1977) Progress in the surgical management of hiatus hernia. World J Surg 1:425–438
Ismail-Beigi F, Horton PF, Pope CE II (1970) Histological consequences of gastroesophageal reflux in man. Gastroenterology 58: 163–174
Johnson LF, DeMeester TR, Haggitt RC (1978) Esophageal epithelial response to gastroesophageal reflux. A quantitative study. Dig Dis Sci 23: 498–509
Knapp TR, Kaplan EN, Daniels JR (1977) Injectable collagen for soft tissue augmentation. Plast Reconstr Surg 60: 398–405
Knuff TE, Benjamin SB, Worcham GF, Hancock JE, Castell DO (1984) Histologic evaluation of chronic gastroesophageal reflux. An evaluation of biopsy methods and diagnostic criteria. Dig Dis Sci 29: 194–201
Mukopadhyah AK (1980) Idiopathic lower esophageal sphincter incompetence and esophageal stricture. Arch Intern Med 140: 1493–1499
Nebel OT, Fornes MF, Castell DO. Symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux: incidence and precipitating factors. Am J Dig Dis 21: 953–958
Nissen R (1956) Eine einfache Operation zur Beeinflussung der Reflux esophagitis. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 86: 590–596
Politano VA, Small MP, Harper JP, Lynne CM (1974) Periurethral Teflon injection for urinary incontinence. J Urol 111: 180–183
Richter JE, Castell DO (1982) Gastroesophageal reflux—pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy. Ann Intern Med 97: 93–103
Seefeld U, Krejs GJ, Sibenann RE (1977) Esophageal histology in gastroesophageal reflux. Morphometric findings in suction biopsies. Dig Dis Sci 22: 956–964.
Shafik A (1993) Polytetrafluoroethylene injection for the treatment of partial fecal incontinence. Int Surg 78: 159–161
Tibbling L, Wranne B (1976) Esophageal dysfunction in male patients with angina-like pain. Acta Med Scand 200: 391–395
Ward PH (1968) Uses of injectable Teflon in otolaryngology. Arch Otolaryngol 87: 91–97
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shafik, A. Intraesophageal Polytef injection for the treatment of reflux esophagitis. Surg Endosc 10, 329–331 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187383
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187383