Electromyography of the Esophagus and its Clinical Applications

Abstract

The authors have succeeded in simultaneously recording electromyograms of the upper, mid-, and lower esophagus by a new intraluminal lead method designed for the examination of esophageal motility in human subjects. The following action potentials were observed in normal cases: (1) a spike-burst appeared occasionally in the mid- or lower esophagus at rest; (2) action potentials followed deglutition i.e. a spike-burst propagating from the upper to lower esophagus and repetitive spike-bursts from the lower esophagus; (3) a spike-burst elicited by instillation of drug solution; (4) a spike-burst elicited by esophageal wall distension by air insufflation. The electromyographic findings of patients with esophageal disease were clarified in each case. In a case of idiopathic esophageal dilatation a characteristic spike-burst was found in the lower esophagus which seemed to indicate the presence of cardiospasm, and many sporadic spike discharges were also observed in the mid- and lower esophagus after mecholyl injection.