Air-filled microballoon manometr 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 r_s: sphincter length = 0·86, MRP = 0·86 and MVC = 0·94, P < 0·001). Repeat studies in 15 patients showed excellent reproducibility (r_s: sphincter length = 0·97, MRP = 0·96 and MVC = 0·97, P < 0·001). Air‐filled microballoon manometry gives results similar to a water‐filled microballoon system and has many advantages.