COMPARISON BETWEEN INTRALUMINAL MULTIPLE ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT AND MANOMETRY IN THE HUMAN ESOPHAGUS

Conventional oesophageal manometry and intraluminal electrical impedan ce measurement were simultaneously applied in eight healthy volunteers to study the effect of wet and semisolid bolus viscosities on oesopha geal motility and bolus transit. Contraction front velocity measured b y electrical impedance and manometry were identical for wet and semiso lid swallows and highly associated. Bolus front velocity as measured b y electrical impedance was significantly faster than contraction front velocity in both wet and semisolid swallows. Bolus front velocity dur ing semisolid swallows was significantly slower compared to wet swallo ws. It is concluded that intraluminal electrical impedance measurement is a reliable technique to detect oesophageal motility as well as to differentiate between transit of wet and semisolid bolus consistencies .