Comparative pressure measurements in the oesophagus by means of in situ tip-transducers and external transducer systems

Basal gastro-oesophageal sphincter pressures and peak peristaltic pressure amplitudes in the oesophageal body 5 and 15 cm proximal to the gastro-oesophageal sphincter were measured with three different set ups in six healthy volunteers. The in situ tip-transducer measurements were compared to two different external pressure transducers in a perfused catheter system and to an external pressure transducer in a non-perfused catheter system. The in situ tip-transducer recorded higher sphincter pressures and peristaltic amplitudes than those recorded by the perfused and non-perfused systems (P