title: Air-filled microballoon manometry for use in anorectal physiology.
abstract: Manometry is fundamental to anorectal physiology but the water-filled manometric systems commonly used have several disadvantages. To investigate the 'new' air-filled microballoon system, we compared it with a standard water-filled equivalent by measuring sphincter length, maximum resting pressure (MRP) and maximum voluntary contraction pressure (MVC) in 44 patients using the station pull-through technique. A good correlation was found for all three parameters (Spearman correlation coefficient rs: sphincter length = 0.86, MRP = 0.86 and MVC = 0.94, P less than 0.001). Repeat studies in 15 patients showed excellent reproducibility (rs: sphincter length = 0.97, MRP = 0.96 and MVC = 0.97, P less than 0.001). Air-filled microballoon manometry gives results similar to a water-filled microballoon system and has many advantages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bartolo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mortensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000388:Air; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology*