RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The well-established methods for esophageal manometry have some disadvantages: the-water-perfused catheters needs calibration by gravity and measuring in supine position, and the solid-state catheters are very expensive. Manometry using gas-perfused catheters is a suitable alternative. There have been only a few publications about this. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The results for esophageal manometry in 1700 patients were retrospectively analyzed based on the clinical reports and the manometry data. The gas-perfusion manometry was critically assessed. RESULTS: The mean age was 54 years. The indications for esophageal manometry were GER symptoms in 58.5% (pathological DeMeester score in 41.8%), dysphagia in 12.4%, and already known achalasia in 8.9%. Motility disorders could be found in 40% of the patients with GER symptoms (51% of the patients with pathological DeMeester score), and in 88% of achalasia patients. The resting LES pressure was 8.9±5.94 mmHg with GER symptoms, 16.4±12.79 mmHg without GER symptoms, and 26.8±14.03 mmHg with achalasia. The relaxation LES pressure was 20.0±10.93 mmHg in achalasia patients, and 8.3±5.77 mmHg in the others.The gas-perfusion manometry was well tolerated by all patients without any serious complications. DISCUSSION: Manometry using gas-perfused catheters is an easy to handle and inexpensive method to investigate the esophageal motility. The suitability of gas perfusion with helium for esophageal manometry depends on physical and technical requirements, such as a constant gas flow, a dead space in the transducer, and the catheter being as small as possible. In consideration of this, the detection of the pressure changing in swallowing acts is excellent. The measured LES pressures are generally lower than with other methods like with water-perfused or solid-state catheters, possibly because of the higher compliance in a gas-filled surrounding. The normal values in gas-perfusion manometry are comparable but not identical with the values of other manometric methods.
RESUMEN
The manometry with water-perfused or solid-state catheters is the predominant diagnostic procedure to detect motility disorders of the esophagus. Another method is the manometry using gas-perfused catheters. Although the high-resolution manometry is the method of first choice, the conventional manometry with helium has some advantages: the simple and hygienically unproblematic use and the absence of any artefacts by the perfusion medium compared with water-perfusion, and the considerably lower costs compared with the solid-state catheters. Every method has own normal values because of the specific pressure transmission and the design of the catheter probes. To our knowledge, normal values for gas-perfusion manometry of the esophagus have not yet been published.The esophageal manometry with helium-perfused catheters was performed in 30 healthy volunteers. The main parameters of the esophageal motility and the lower esophageal sphincter were analyzed by liquid and bolus-like swallows and compared with the previous published values in other manometric procedures.The values of the motility in the distal esophagus are consistent; the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter is generally lower than with other methods. The distal wave amplitude and the propagation velocity are significant higher in the distal esophagus than in the middle. The perfusion medium is well tolerated by the investigated volunteers.