Relationship between lower oesophageal contractility and type of surgical stimulation.

We have studied the effects of two discrete types of surgical stimulation on contractions in the lower oesophagus. Forty-four female patients undergoing either abdominal hysterectomy or varicose vein surgery were anaesthetized using a standard technique. The frequency of spontaneous oesophageal contractions (SLOC) and amplitude of provoked contractions (PLOC) were greater in those patients undergoing hysterectomy. The oesophageal index (OCI), a single index combining both types of contractions, was found also to relate to the nature of the surgical stimulus.