Oesophageal dilatation in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

In an unselected group of 37 patients with Parkinsonism the mean diameter of the oesophagus at the level of the 9th dorsal vertebra was 3·11 cm, which was significantly higher than the mean of 2·24 cm in a group of control patients. Six of the patients with Parkinsonism had gross oesophageal dilatation.