Esophageal Motility Test
Esophageal Manometry
Esophageal Manometry is a diagnostic test used to measure the strength and coordination of muscle contractions in your esophagus during swallowing – motility. It provides detailed information about how well your esophagus is functioning and helps identify any abnormalities that may be causing symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, chest pain, or acid reflux.
This test is performed at Mesa GI using a thin, flexible tube that is gently passed through the nose and into the esophagus. The results help your Mesa GI physician diagnose and manage a range of esophageal disorders, including motility issues.
What is an Esophageal Motility Test?
Manometry is a test to measure Esophageal Motility and pick up motility issues Gastrointestinal Motility, in general, refers to the movement of food through the digestive tract, involving contractions of muscles in the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Esophageal motility studies at Mesa GI are tests that examine the contractile and relaxation properties of the esophagus.
To conduct the exam, a narrow and pliable catheter is positioned through the nose and into the esophagus. An esophageal motility evaluation can be recommended to help pinpoint the cause behind:
Regurgitation
Esophageal spasm
Severe gastroesophageal reflux
Before undergoing esophageal surgery
Trouble with swallowing
Chest pain
If you are experiencing symptoms, schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist at Mesa GI who can perform an esophageal motility study or esophageal manometry procedure right here in Mesa, AZ.
What Can I Expect Before an Esophageal Motility Test?
The day before your motility test, you will be provided with full instructions by Mesa GI.
Most patients can eat normally the day before the study.
Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00 a.m. (midnight), except for medications.
It’s important to follow all the instructions from your Mesa GI physician carefully.
Specific guidance on medications will be given.
Most medication routines will stay the same.
Patients on blood thinners or with diabetes may receive special instructions.
What Happens During & After the Esophageal Motility Test?
You’ll be asked to arrive 30 minutes early to complete forms and prepare for the test.
You’ll lie on an exam table; a nostril will be numbed.
A thin catheter is gently inserted through your nose into the esophagus.
The test measures contractions of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and other esophageal muscles.
You’ll swallow 10–20 small sips of water during the test.
The procedure takes about 30–60 minutes.
No sedation is used, so you can leave shortly after the test.
Most people can eat and drink normally afterward.
Detailed post-test instructions will be provided before discharge.
The system we use at Mesa GI will create graphs and tables from the data collected throughout your procedure; the results of the test will not be ready to read until later. So, your assessment results will be read by your provider in the days after the test. You should get a call from your practitioner at Mesa GI within seven days to go over the results.
What Risks Come with an Esophageal Motility Test?
Esophageal manometry tests are generally safe. Complications impact less than 1% of individuals. In most cases, if complications do arise, they do not tend to be life threatening. But, should a complication occur, it may result in hospitalization and surgery. Prior to the evaluation, a consent form will be discussed with you by the healthcare staff at Mesa GI.
Piercing or puncturing of the esophagus is a significantly unlikely effect but can arise. This might be noticed at the time of the exam, or it may not be evident until further into the day. In the majority of cases, a puncture will require a hospital stay and surgery for repair.
It is very crucial that you contact the team at Mesa GI immediately in the event issues or symptoms occur in the wake of the exam, such as worsening abdominal pain, fever, or bleeding.
As is the case with any other assessment, an esophageal motility study is not flawless. There is a slight risk that irregularities may not be identified during the test. It is important to continually visit your physicians per their recommendations and talk with them about any new or chronic symptoms.
Are There Alternative Tests?
Any alternative testing options will be based on why you needed an esophageal motility study to start with. The esophageal motility test is usually the best method to analyze the muscle abilities of the esophagus. There is an x-ray image called an Esophagram, alone or in the course of an upper GI/barium swallow, that can additionally enable your doctors to assess the esophagus.
Our Services
Mesa Gastrointestinal Associates
603 W Baseline Road, Ste 200
Mesa, Arizona 85210
Opening Hours
Monday – Thursday
8:00AM – 5:00PM
Friday
8:00AM – 4:00PM
Contact Mesa GI
If you have been advised to take an Esophageal Motility test, make an appointment at Mesa GI. Use the button or contact Mesa GI at 480-461-1088 today.