Article Figures & Data
Figures
- FIGURE 1
Barium esophagography showed tertiary contractions (arrows) in the distal esophagus.
- FIGURE 2
Esophageal manometry involves passing a probe with pressure sensors through the nose and down the esophagus to the level of the lower esophageal sphincter. As the patient swallows, the probe senses the wave of contraction, which can be graphed to assess the motor function of the esophagus (see Figure 3).
- FIGURE 3
In esophageal manometry, the vertical axis shows the length along the esophagus, the horizontal axis represents time, and the color code depicts pressure, from blue (low) to red (high). This study shows a normal distal latency (black arrow) of 6.7 seconds, and a normal distal contractile integer of 2,300 mm Hg · s · cm.
- FIGURE 4
In our patient, esophageal manometry showed distal esophageal spasm and premature contraction, with a distal latency (black arrow) less than 4.5 seconds.
- FIGURE 5
In peroral endoscopic myotomy, an experimental treatment for esophageal spasm, the endoscope is inserted into the space between the endothelium and muscle (A) and advanced to the distal esophagus (B or C) or the lower esophageal sphincter (D), where the muscle is severed. The endoscope is then withdrawn (E).
