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Manometry tests measure the function of specific body parts, including the esophagus, rectum, and nasal cavities. These tests are used to diagnose medical conditions in both children and adults. An esophageal manometry involves a tube inserted through the nose to measure esophageal contractions, while an anorectal manometry measures rectal sphincter and colon contractions. A rhinomanometry measures nasal airflow. All tests use sensors connected to a computer for analysis.
There are three main types of manometry: esophageal, anorectal, and rhinomanometric. Each is used to measure the function of a specific part of the body. These tests are used when diagnosing or certain medical conditions in both children and adults.
An esophageal manometry involves the use of a long tube that is inserted through the nasal passages and down into the stomach. Special sensors are on various parts of this tube and are used to measure the effectiveness of esophageal contractions from the throat to the stomach. This is helpful when diagnosing or finding a cause for conditions like acid reflux disease. Patients are given mild local anesthesia to prevent any pain from occurring, although mild discomfort is common. They are also asked to drink a small amount of water or another liquid to evaluate how well their esophagus is functioning.
The sensors on the tube are connected to a computer; the readings from each sensor are read by the computer and a diagnostic reading is calculated. While not the only method for diagnosing esophageal health, monometry is helpful in determining the cause of existing symptoms in some patients.
An anorectal manometry is practically similar to an esophageal manometry. In this case, a tube is inserted into the rectum and a liquid is fed through it to measure the contractions of the rectal sphincter and colon. The tube is usually long enough to reach the colon, in order to measure the muscle strength of all the muscles required for compaction and elimination of stool. The sensors are present just like in an esophageal manometry and the results are deciphered in much the same way.
The use of an anorectal manometry is more common in children than in adults. This is because some conditions affecting the rectal and colonic sphincter muscles occur more often in young children and are corrected during this time. This does not mean that a manometry cannot be useful in adults, as there are certain conditions and injuries that may require it.
A rhinomanometry is another form of test that is performed to determine the airflow of the nasal cavities. It is done by placing a probe at the end of the nostril, held in place by tape. Patients wear a face mask during the test and inhale through their nose for several minutes. Sometimes a sensor is placed towards the back of the nasal cavity and the airflow is monitored this way. As with the previous two tests, the probe or sensor feeds data into a computer for reading.
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