Rumination, heartburn, and daytime gastroesophageal reflux. A case study with mechanisms defined and successfully treated with biofeedback therapy.

A 31-year-old man with a 19-year history of rumination developed frequent episodes of heartburn and regurgitation associated with acid gastroesophageal reflux that occurred predominantly during the day. This reflux and its attendant symptoms resulted from abdominal muscle contractions at the time of gastroesophageal pressure equilibration (i.e., common cavity phenomena) consistent with the egress of air from the stomach to the esophagus. A voluntary pharyngeal maneuver unassociated with swallowing but simultaneous with the abdominal contraction resulted in a decrease in upper esophageal sphincter pressure. This lowered pressure facilitated acid esophagopharyngeal regurgitation at a velocity of 100 cm/s. Biofeedback therapy directed at relaxing the abdominal muscles during eating and avoiding the pharyngeal maneuver resulted in a decrease in reflux and marked improvement in symptoms.

Pancreatic pseudocyst of the mediastinum.

A patient with pancreatic pseudocyst of the mediastinum is presented. Weight loss, chest or abdominal pain, and dyspnea are the most frequent symptoms of mediastinal pseudocyst. Chest roentgenogram frequently demonstrates a posterior mediastinal mass, and esophagogram always shows esophageal displacement. The diagnosis is confirmed by computerized axial tomography of the chest and abdomen. Cyst-gastrostomy is the operation of choice for this condition.

Lower esophageal sphincter pressure in histologic esophagitis.

The fasting lower esophageal sphincter pressure of 18 normal volunteers was compared to 22 patients with symptoms and objective evidence of gastroesophageal reflux. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure was measured by rapid pull-through using an 8-lumen radially perfused catheter that sampled pressure every45 degrees around the circumference of the sphincter. The 22 reflux patients were subdivided for analysis into two groups, those with an acute inflammatory infiltrate on biopsy and those without inflammation. Those patients without inflammatory esophagitis had normal sphincter pressures. Those with a definite inflammatory infiltrate had pressures significantly less than normal. The least reliable separation between normals and those with inflammatory esophagitis occurred in the anterior orientations. We conclude that while basal lower esophageal sphincter pressure measurement may identify patients with reflux and inflammatory esophagitis, it is of no help in identifying those patients with reflux unassociated with inflammation. Decreased basal fasting LESP does not appear to be the most important primary determinant of gastroesophageal reflux.

Amebic liver abscess. Report of a case presenting with nonreactive serologic tests for Entamoeba histolytica.

We present a patient with an acute amebic liver abscess with nonreactive serologic tests. Motile hematophagous trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica were seen microscopically in scrapings from the wall of the abscess. Postoperative serologies revealed rapidly rising then falling titers by SAFA and IHA antibody assays. Serologic tests for amebiasis may be reative in greater than 95% of patients with invasive amebiasis. Nevertheless, a reactive serologic test should not be relied upon exclusively to establish the diagnosis. Sequential serologic testing and surgical intervention to obtain material for microscopic examination, gram stain and bacteriologic culture are warranted in patients with hepatic abscess and nonreactive serologic tests for antibodies to E. histolytica.