A manometric study of the upper oesophagus in the dog following cuffed-tube tracheostomy.

Intraluminal oesophageal pressures were measured in dogs after tracheostomy and intubation with either uncuffed or cuffed tracheostomy tubes. Possible explanations for disordered swallowing following tracheostomy were found in those animals intubated with cuffed tracheostomy tubes: (a) Increased intraluminal pressures were measured in the oesophagus at the level of the cuffs. (b) Significantly increased pressures were found also 5 and 10 cm below the pharyngo-oesophageal junction. (c) The upper oesophageal sphincter relaxed incompletely.