High-resolution esophageal manometry: a time motion study.

INTRODUCTION High-resolution manometry (HRM) of the esophagus is a new technique that provides a more precise assessment of esophageal motility than conventional techniques. Because HRM measures pressure events along the entire length of the esophagus simultaneously, clinical procedure time should be shorter because less catheter manipulation is required. According to manufacturer advertising, the new HRM system is more accurate and up to 50% faster than conventional methods. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that clinical testing with HRM requires less procedural time than a standard water perfusion (WP) method. METHODS Forty-one consecutive patients were studied (20 underwent WP and 21 underwent HRM). Using time-motion analysis, the start and end times for each task associated with performing the study were recorded. Patient discomfort and study quality were also assessed by using five- and four-point qualitative scales, respectively. RESULTS Total procedure time was reduced on average by 25.6% in the HRM group (from 41.8 minutes with WP to 30.7 minutes with HRM, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the discomfort scores reported by the study subjects and no difference in study quality. CONCLUSIONS HRM requires less time to complete than conventional manometry and should therefore shorten the wait-times of patients scheduled for esophageal manometry and have a significant impact on the cost of performing this commonly used clinical investigation.