Radial distribution of esophageal peristaltic pressure in normal subjects and patients with esophageal diverticulum.

This study was designed to determine the radial profile of peristaltic pressure waves in the esophageal body of normal subjects and patients with isophageal diverticulum. We used a manometric assembly featuring four radial side hole recording orifices oriented at equidistant 90 degree angles. Each recording catheter was infused with water at a rate (6.1 ml per min) which provided high fidelity pressure recording. In normal subjects, the radially recorded peristaltic pressure complexes were similar in peak amplitude and wave form. The range of pressure differences between the four radial recordings averaged 9.0 +/- 4 SD mm Hg A range is less than or greater to 25 mm Hg occurring in 99% of observations. These variations in pressure amplitude showed no consistant spacial orientation. In 5 of the 6 patients with esophageal diverticulum, the range of radial peristaltic pressure differences exceeded 25 mm Hg in the region of the diverticulum, the lowest pressure occurring at the recording orifice facing the diverticulum mouth. In occasional peristaltic sequences abnormal wave forms featuring abrupt onsets or offsets were observed. These bizarre wave forms were probably caused by oralaboral diverticulum movement relative to the recording sensor during peristalsis. Two patients had abnormally high peristaltic pressure amplitudes, greater than 250 mm Hg. This latter finding introduces the possibility that hypertensive peristaltic contractions may contribute to diverticulum production in some patients.