Endoscopic Variceal Sequential Ligation Does Not Increase Risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Cirrhosis Patients

Background Endoscopic variceal sequential ligation (EVSL) is currently endorsed in our hospital, as the preferred endoscopic treatment for prevention of variceal rebleeding and achieving adequate hemostasis. There is currently a lack of consensus surrounding EVSL-induced changes in esophageal motor function and abnormal reflux. Aims To explore alterations in esophageal motor function and risk of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux in liver cirrhosis patients with esophageal varices, after EVSL. Methods Twenty-one liver cirrhosis patients with esophageal varices were studied using manometry and 24-h pH monitoring 1 day prior to and 1 month following EVSL. The EVSL consisted of performing esophageal variceal ligation using a multi-band ligator, which was repeated every 4 weeks until the varices were eradicated. Results The amplitude and duration of peristaltic contraction waves and the percentage of abnormal esophageal contraction waveforms were unaltered in both the proximal ( P > 0.05) and the distal ( P > 0.05) esophagus after EVSL. However, the lower esophageal sphincter pressure was decreased following EVSL (16.1 ± 7.9 mmHg vs 21.1 ± 6.3 mmHg ( P < 0.05)). Various quantitative parameters including percentage of total monitoring time with pH < 4.0, total number of reflux episodes, number of reflux episodes > 5 min, and DeMeester scores were not increased in post-EVSL patients. Abnormal reflux monitored by 24-h pH monitoring occurred in ten (47.6%) pre-EVSL patients and 11 (52.4%) post-EVSL patients. Conclusions Although EVSL affects esophageal motility by relatively decreasing LES pressure, it does not induce substantial motor abnormalities nor increase risk of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux disease in cirrhosis patients.