VIDEOMANOMETRIC ASPECTS OF PHARYNGEAL CONSTRICTOR ACTIVITY

Pressure changes were registered with videomanometry (simultaneous man ometry and barium swallow) in the pharynx and in the pharyngoesophagea l segment (PES) during swallowing. A considerable longitudinal asymmet ry was found. Peak pressure was highest in the PES, lower in the infer ior constrictor area, and lowest at the level of the tongue base. The rate of pressure rise was highest at the level of the PES. The speed o f propagation of the contraction wave was 13 (+/- 2) cm/sec. There was no correlation between the measured variables (i.e,, peak pressure, r ate of pressure rise, and speed of contracting wave). Our findings can partly be explained by different mechanical constraints at different levels of the pharynx but may also reflect the organization of neural control of swallowing in the brainstem. Knowledge of transducer positi on and orientation is essential for the evaluation of pharyngeal press ure during swallowing, Such knowledge is best achieved by performing m anometry simultaneously with fluoroscopy, i.e., videomanometry.