Oesophageal Manometry

Oesophageal manometry is a test that measures pressure in the oesophagus with a special probe. This study is mainly carried out to clarify if a patient's oesophagus can move food to the stomach normally or if there is a case of dysphagia (difficulty or discomfort in swallowing). The probe is passed through the nose, into the pharynx, and then with the help of swallowing, farther down through the oesophagus and into the stomach.

The examination is painless, but the insertion of the probe through the nose can be unpleasant. The examination is performed while the patient is sitting. The pressure of the lower and upper oesophagal sphincters is measured as well as the oesophagal function when swallowing smaller amounts of water or solid food. This allows the physician to analyse how well the patient can swallow.

The test takes about 30 minutes.