ESOPHAGEAL ELECTROMYOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Electromyography (EMG) was performed by drawing a probe out through the esophagus in 38 patients with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) aged 3 weeks to 9 years; 22 asymptomatic infants served as controls. While drawing the probe through the esophagus, the EMG esophageal profile picture was obtained: zones with EMG (L(EMG)) and with EKG only (L(EKG)) were revealed. It was found that the EMG zone in patients with GER was significantly shorter in comparison with controls, i. e., less than one-half the esophageal length. The index L(EMG)/L(EKG) was always less than 1 in patients with GER and more than 1 in the control group. As a result of the EMG findings, GER was excluded in 7 patients with vomiting, 4 of whom had other causes while 3 proved to be physiological and resolved spontaneously. The method also appeared to be useful for evaluating the effectiveness of GER treatment.