Prokinetic medication after surgical therapy of reflux patients with disorders of esophageal peristalsis: a randomized clinical study

BACKGROUND: Long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is frequently associated with impaired esophageal body motility. Partial posterior fundoplication improves esophageal peristalsis. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate whether administration of the prokinetic agent cisapride enhances this effect. METHODS: Forty consecutive GERD patients with impaired esophageal peristalsis entered the study and were randomized in two groups: group 1 with and group 2 without postoperative treatment with cisapride (6 months, 20 mg twice daily). Four patients had to be excluded during the study. Esophageal motility was analyzed preoperatively and 6 months after surgery by measuring contraction amplitudes in the distal two thirds of the esophagus, frequency of simultaneous and interrupted peristaltic waves and total number of defective propagations. RESULTS: In both groups esophageal peristalsis was improved significantly following partial posterior fundoplication (p < 0.05; Wilcoxon Test). However, this effect was significantly more pronounced in patients receiving cisapride medication postoperatively (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test). Lower esophageal sphincter pressure, intra-abdominal sphincter length and the DeMeester reflux score were normalized in both groups following antireflux surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Partial posterior fundoplication combined with postoperative cisapride medication seems to be the therapy of choice in GERD patients with impaired esophageal body motility.