Requirements for Accurate Manometric Recording of Pharyngeal and Esophageal Peristaltic Pressure Waves

New technologies in the gastrointestinal clinic and research: Impedance and high-resolution manometry

“…High-resolution manometry can be adapted to work with any transducer technology, as long as the recording fidelity of the sensor is adequate. The frequency response required to reproduce esophageal pressure waves with 98% accuracy is 0-4 Hz, while that required for reproducing pharyngeal pressure waves is 0-56 Hz [17] . Expressed in terms of maximal recordable ∆P/∆t, 300 mmHg/s is sufficient for studying the esophageal body while the pharynx will require a ∆ P/∆t of 4000 mmHg/s for the pharynx.…”

Modern solid state computerized manometry of the pharyngoesophageal segment

“…First, the upper sphincter and pharynx are composed of striated muscle, therefore, the muscular contractions and responses are much more rapid than those in the smooth muscle distal esophagus. The more rapid rate of contraction of the striated muscle far exceeds the response time of low compliance infusion systems which will substantially misrecord pharyngeal wave forms [ 1,2]. Intraluminal transducers, however, do have a frequency response time within the range required.…”

“…The pharynx, like the UES, is asymmetrical both circumferentially and longitudinally [8]. This asymmetry certainly accounts for some of the wide variation in reported values for pharyngeal contraction amplitudes [2,8,[21][22][23]. A circumferential transducer can only compensate for circumferential asymmetry, therefore, careful attention must be given to the location of the transducer relative to the UES in order to compare measured contraction pressures.…”

The use of intraluminal manometry to assess upper esophageal sphincter function

“…In the UES, manometric devices must be capable of recording the rapid and wide-ranging variations in pressure resulting from changes in UES tone. Fourier analysis of peristaltic pressure waveforms in the UES has shown that manometric systems must have a bandwidth of at least 8 Hz to record pressures accurately [38,39].…”