High-resolution oesophageal manometry
Your oesophagus (food pipe or gullet) is the muscular tube behind your chest bone that helps move food and liquid from the throat down so it can reach your stomach. Sometimes, issues with the gullet are caused by various digestive concerns.
An oesophageal manometry helps check for many problems and conditions that affect your oesophageal motility and shows whether all the muscles and valves of the oesophagus are working properly.
At Digestive Health UK, we offer private tests to discover what’s causing your symptoms and provide fast relief. We can discuss your concerns in our initial consultation.
What is oesophageal manometry?
This procedure tests the coordinated muscle movement of your food pipe. It does this by measuring the pressure created by the muscles in your oesophagus and the valves at the top and bottom portions of your oesophagus as water moves through. These contractions help food and drink travel from the top of your gullet to your stomach. If any issues are detected, this could indicate a problem with your oesophagus.
It can also show if your symptoms are due to a disorder or a problem with your oesophagus.
How does it work?
Before starting the test, we will numb your nose and throat with a spray or numbing gel while you are sat up straight.
During the test, a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is passed into your oesophagus via the nose and throat. The catheter should not interfere with breathing or be painful, but you may feel minor discomfort, gag, or have your eyes water. Once the catheter is in place, we will ask you to lie back on the exam table or remain seated.
The catheter contains pressure sensors that measure the muscular contractions of the oesophagus in small intervals along its length.
These contractions happen naturally in a wave-like formation as you swallow, allowing food to travel to the stomach. We will ask you to swallow small sips of water to measure these contractions. As you do this, a computer linked to the catheter will record the pressure, speed, and pattern of your oesophageal muscle contractions.
Once completed, we will slowly remove the catheter and give you a moment to recover. This test should take no longer than 30 minutes.
The test can detect the strength and coordination of these contractions. It also measures how well the upper and lower oesophageal sphincters are working. A sphincter is a ring of muscle that opens and closes—one at the top of the food pipe and one where the oesophagus joins the stomach.
Who needs an oesophageal manometry?
High-resolution oesophageal manometry helps us detect certain abnormalities and disorders affecting these parts of your body. For example, a weakened lower oesophageal sphincter is often a cause of acid reflux in conditions such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and Barrett’s oesophagus.
This test can also diagnose rare conditions such as achalasia or progressive autoimmune scleroderma disease.
You may also need an oesophageal manometry before a surgical procedure such as transoral incisionless fundoplication surgery or anti-reflux surgery.
We may also suggest it’s performed to follow up and assess function after surgery.
Preparation
Before the procedure, we will provide specific instructions to follow to ensure you are fully prepared.
Generally, we would recommend not eating or drinking 6 hours before the test.
Please let us know if you are currently taking any medication. Depending on the type you are taking and whether we feel it may interfere with the procedure, we may ask you to stop taking it before the test.
We recommend wearing relaxed, loose clothing to ensure you feel as comfortable as possible during the procedure.
Test results
We will interpret the results of your oesophageal pressure topography map. A normal result means that your oesophageal muscles are working properly.
An abnormal test may indicate abnormal contractions of the muscles in the food pipe and issues with your valves.
Your results will help us decide whether you need further testing and an appropriate treatment plan for your condition.
Risks and side effects
Some common side effects of oesophageal manometry include:
- Running nose
- Stinging sensation from the antiseptic (should be temporary)
- Sore throat – for up to 24 hours
- Slight discomfort when swallowing
- Nose bleeding
Very rarely, some patients may feel faint during the procedure.
There is also a small risk of complications, such as bleeding from damage or perforation to the inside of your nose, throat, larynx (voice box), oesophagus, or stomach.
Our specialists will attentively monitor your condition and ensure any issues are dealt with and treated quickly.
FAQs
What’s the difference between an oesophageal manometry and a barium swallow test?
Both tests investigate your oesophagus if you have trouble swallowing or other related symptoms. However, they differ in the way they are performed and what they are specifically testing for.
A barium swallow test involves swallowing a barium sulphate solution to coat the food pipe to highlight irregularities on an X-ray. Unlike an oesophageal manometry, a barium swallow can detect abnormally wide or narrow areas of the oesophagus and abnormalities in anatomy.
However, a barium swallow cannot assess the strength of muscle contractions or the patterns of muscle activity throughout the gullet like an oesophageal manometry.
Private oesophageal manometry test
Our gastroenterology clinic offers face-to-face and virtual consultations to address your concerns and decide whether you need an oesophageal manometry test. During your initial appointment, we will thoroughly assess your general health and discuss your symptoms.
Let us know if you have already been diagnosed with any condition, as this could influence our recommendations. Depending on their findings in your consultation, our specialist may suggest additional or alternative tests.
Offering high-quality personalised care is our priority at Digestive Health UK. Get in touch today to learn how we can help you.