Korean J Gastroenterol.  2003 Apr;41(4):250-254.

Ineffective Esophageal Motility Found in Routine Esophageal Manometry

• Kim HJ
• Yeon JE
• Park JJ
• Kim JS
• Byun KS
• Bak YT
• Lee CH

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Esophageal contents either from swallow or reflux are cleared mostly by esophageal peristalsis. Hypotonic or nontransmitted contractions, known to be "ineffective esophageal motility (IEM)", carry out this function. Most cases of nonspecific esophageal motility disorder (NEMD) by conventional diagnosis belong to IEM. This study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of IEM and other manometric diagnoses among the cases undergoing routine esophageal manometry in Korea. METHODS: After excluding patients with known connective tissue diseases, consecutive 1,940 cases undergoing routine esophageal manometry were included. Analysis of the manometric tracings was performed according to the conventional manometric criteria modified from that of Castell et al. and the new criteria modified from that of Fouad et al. RESULTS: Among 347 cases of NEMD by conventional criteria, 331 cases (95.4%) belonged to IEM and the remaining 11 (3.2%) was normal. Among 1,345 cases with normal finding by conventional criteria, 249 cases (18.5%) were classified into IEM. CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of NEMD belong to IEM, and a small but significant proportion of cases conventionally considered as normal also belongs to IEM. The IEM is the most frequently observed abnormality from routine esophageal manometry.

Keyword

Esophageal manometry; Ineffective esophageal motility; Nonspecific esophageal motility disorder; Hypotonic contractions; Nontransmitted contractions