Alteraciones funcionales de la conjunción gastroesofágica en la escoliosis

Since the possible functional alterations of the gastroesophageal junction that are frecuent in scoliosis are not well known, Radiologic studies of the gastroesophageal passageway, esophageal manometric studies, and C. T. Scan Studies wer e perfomed in three groups of scoliotic patients and in one control group in order to determine the possible origin of the alterations, their incidenc e and the relationship with the characteristics of the scoliotic curve, and the modifications produced after surgical correction. Functional disorders of the gastroesophageal junction occur in 27% of the-96 young patients with scoliosis compared to 0% in the control group of 25 young individuals. The statiscal study of the most significant variables demonstrated a greater incidenc e of thes e gastroesophageal alterations in thoracic scoliosis that affected the vertebral segment T7-T12 and when the Angle of Cobb wa s larger. In a group of 24 scoliotic patients, the surgical correction of the scoliosis eliminated the GER (gastroesophageal Reflux) in 7 cases, without modifying the parametres of the manometri c study. In the C. T. Scan study, a group of 25 scoliotic patients showed an important distortion in the diaphragmatic crura, but no relationship wa s found between this and the degree of vertebral rotation nor with the digestive alterations which have been studied.