Oroesophageal motor disorders in Pierre Robin syndrome.

Background: Feeding disorders are one of the main clinical features in PRS, which combines a posterior U-shaped cleft palate, retrognathia, and glossoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral and esophageal motor function of children with PRS without additional neurologic symptoms.

Methods: All children hospitalized with Pierre Robin syndrome either isolated (n = 27) or associated with Stickler syndrome (n = 8) were included. Clinical evaluation of their oroesophageal disorders and systematic esophageal manometry were performed.

Results: Feeding disorders were always present, but type of disorder varied from one child to another. Esophageal disorders were frequent and seemed to be resistant to classic gastroesophageal reflux treatment. Eighty-six percent of the children required nasogastric tube feeding for a mean duration of 8.6 months. Esophageal manometric abnormalities were noted in 50% of the children: lower esophageal sphincter hypertonia, failure of lower esophageal sphincter relaxation at deglutition, and esophageal dyskinesia. These clinical and manometric disorders showed a trend to spontaneous regression after 12 months.

Conclusion: In the current Pierre Robin syndrome series, clinical and manometric anomalies of oroesophageal motility were always present. The authors identified an unusual manometric pattern that has also been described in situations of neurovegetative instability. It could reflect dysregulation of the control of the central pattern generators of swallowing in the brain stem.