Manometry
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In medicine, manometry is a study performed to examine the pression of one part of the body, generally the muscle function of the esophagus.
Indications
Manometry of the esophagus may be requested if there is a suspicion of achalasia, esophageal stricture or any problem causing difficulty swallowing that cannot be diagnosed on upper endoscopy. It may detect various problems, including abnormal peristalsis and functional narrowing.
Procedure
A technician places a catheter into the nose and guides it into the stomach. Once placed, the catheter is slowly withdrawn, allowing it to detect pressure changes and to record information for later review. The patient will be asked at various times to take a deep breath or to take some swallows of water. Esophageal manometry typically causes moderate to significant discomfort, including gagging or coughing. The degree of discomfort varies among patients. Patients are not sedated because sedatives would alter the functioning of the esophageal muscles. Overall the procedure takes about 45 minutes. After the procedure is complete, patients can usually resume their normal daily activities.