Chronic oesophagitis in the cat.
BACKGROUND
Our understanding of the pathophysiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in man is limited. The aim of the present study was to establish a long-term (>1 year) animal model for reflux oesophagitis which would allow us to study various aspects of the development of chronic reflux oesophagitis.


METHODS
Myotomy was carried out in the gastro-oesophageal junction in eight cats; seven other cats were sham-operated. Before the operation, and every 2 months thereafter, oesophagoscopy was carried out, biopsies were taken for histology, and manometry was performed to determine the lower oesophageal sphincter pressure (LESP). The cats were killed 1 year after the operation.


RESULTS
The myotomy operation resulted in a significantly decreased LESP. In oesophageal biopsies from these cats, there was a varying degree of oesophagitis starting already 2 months after surgery. In six of the eight myotomized cats there was hyperplasia of the stratum basale, and cardiac type metaplasia was observed in two cats. The control cats showed no significant changes in LESP or in the histology of the oesophagus.


CONCLUSIONS
In cats followed for more than a year, myotomy in the gastro-oesophageal junction results in reflux oesophagitis similar to that seen in patients with chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Poorkhalkali
N
N
Discovery, AstraZeneca AB Mölndal, Sweden. nadereh.poorkhalkali@astrazeneca.com
Rich
H G
HG
Jacobson
I
I
Amaral
J
J
Migliori
S
S
Chrostek
C
C
Biancani
P
P
Cabero
J L
JL
Helander
H F
HF
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000502:physiology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D011312:Pressure; D013997:Time Factors