The Measurement of Resting and Stimulated Lower Esophageal Sphincter Pressure Using the Rapid Pull-through Technique of Esophageal Manometry

Abstract

The value of the rapid pull-through technique of esophageal manometry for the measurement of lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), in the diagnosis of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux, has been investigated. The technique provides reproducible measurements of LESP in individual subjects during the period of a single recording study. It does not discriminate between normal subjects and patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux in measurements of basal LESP or in measurements of the LESP response to abdominal compression and the cholinergic drugs bethanechol and metoclopramide. The findings of the study suggest that the rapid pull-through technique will not prove helpful in the diagnosis of symptomatic reflux.

Key words:

• Gastroesophageal reflux
• lower esophageal sphincter
• manometry, esophageal
• pull-through, rapid