Reversion of oesophageal acid perfusion test results after paracentesis abdominis in ascitic cases of bilharzial hepatic fibrosis

ABSTRACT

Twenty six patients with hepatosplemc schistosomiasis and tense ascites, having positive acid perfusion test results, were the candidates of this research. All cases were investigated for brtharzlal aetiology, portal pressure manometry, ascitic fluid volume and pressure estimation and oesophageal acid perfusion test were done before and 10 days after slow paracentesis abdominis. The following results were found 1. Positive correlation between portal and ascitic fluid pressures before and after paracentesis. 2. Both portal and ascitic fluid pressures were significantly reduced after tapping in all patients. 3. The oesophageal acid perfusion test turned negative in 61.53% of patients 10 days after tapping. 4. The degree of portal and ascitic fluid pressure reduction was more significant in the group showed reversion of oesophageal acid perfusion test. 5. While test reversibility was linked to the portal hypotensive effect of tapping, non reversibility was indicative of inefficient non significant tapping. We can conclude from this work the great value of this simple test in indicating and evaluating the success of tapping in lowering the portal and ascitic fluid pressures in bilharzial ascitic patients