Typically, when a person swallows food or liquid, it is transported through the throat and into the esophagus. The esophagus then moves the ingested substance into the stomach. The process of moving this material involves the coordination of muscles in the wall of the esophagus that “push” the food or liquid in the proper direction. Abnormalities or incoordination of the muscles can lead to swallowing difficulties. The purpose of esophageal manometry is to measure the strength and coordination of these muscles.
Esophageal manometry involves placement of a thin catheter into the esophagus. Following this placement, the patient is asked to swallow a few times and measurements are obtained. The entire procedure takes a few minutes and is not painful. The test provides information that is not available on barium swallow studies or esophagoscopy. Manometry can often help diagnose very complex swallowing problems, and it is used extensively at the NYU Voice Center.
