Endoscopic manometry of pancreatic and biliary sphincter zones in man. Basal results in healthy volunteers.

An endoscopic manometric technique was applied to the study of intraductal biliary and pancreatic pressures and sphincter activity in normal subjects. A perfused system using a modified endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography catheter was tested and found to provide reliable ductal and phasic recordings. Twenty-five healthy volunteers, aged 19-37, underwent endoscopic manometry under diazepam sedation. Distinct zones of high-pressure phasic activity were identified on pull-through from the pancreatic duct and common bile duct at mean distances of 4.5 and 5.0 mm, respectively, from the papillary orifice with frequencies of 7.0 +/- 1.8 (mean +/- SD) and 5.6 +/- 2.4 waves/min, respectively. These were considered to represent separate pancreatic duct and bile duct sphincters. Peak pancreatic duct sphincter pressure (47.6 +/- 8.2 mm Hg) and bile duct sphincter pressure (57.2 +/- 10.7 mm Hg) were similar. Pancreatic duct pressure was 11.4 +/- 3.0 mm Hg and common bile duct pressure was 3.0 +/- 2.5 mm Hg. Values were adjusted to duodenal pressure as zero reference. The ductal and sphincteric pressures reported in this study provide a basis for the assessment of physiological, pharmacological, pathophysiological, and surgical effects on this area.