Korean J Gastrointest Motil.  2000 Jun;6(1):63-68.

A Case of a Diffuse Esophageal Spasm Diagnosis by Ambulatory 24 hour Manometry

• Jang T
• Kim BS
• Kim SM
• Choo KY
• Park SH
• Choi MG
• Han JY
• Kim JK
• Chung KW
• Sun HS

Abstract

Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) is a motility disorder of the esophagus characterized by symptoms of retrosternal chest pain and intermittent dysphagia. The diagnosis of DES has relied on criteria obtained from a standard esophageal manometry (more than one simultaneous contraction in a series of 10 wet swallows with the rest being peristaltic). Because symptoms and/or typical manometric findings are not always documented during the standard manometry, 24 hour manometry may be more useful in such cases. We recently assessed a 29-year-old male patient who complained of chest pain and dysphagia. He showed nonspecific findings on the laboratory based manometry, but DES was diagnosed by his typical manometric findings on the 24 hour manometry. Therefore, a 24 hour manometry should always be performed when the patient's history suggests the presence of DES and the laboratory based manometry failed to detect the symptomatic contractions of DES. Following we report this case with a review of the literature.

Keyword

Diffuse esophageal spasm; Ambulatory 24 hour manometry

MeSH Terms

Adult
Chest Pain
Deglutition Disorders
Diagnosis*
Esophageal Spasm, Diffuse*
Esophagus
Humans
Male
Manometry*
Swallows