Oesophageal changes in systemic sclerosis.

Abstract

EDITORIAL COMMENT These studies provide evidence for the primary lesion in the oesophagus in cases of systemic sclerosis being in the smooth muscle fibres rather than in the neural plexus. The loss of oesophageal peristalsis could often be demonstrated by cine-radiography and manometry before symptoms appeared. By the same techniques it was shown that as the disease progresses the oesophageal wave becomes incoordinated and finally disappears and muscle is atrophied early.