[Effects of food temperature on the esophageal motility in Chagas' megaesophagus. Manometric study]

The authors studied the effects of food temperature in esophageal motility by the use of manometry in 26 cases of chagasic megaesophagus of hyperkinetic type. An assembly of three water filled polyvinyl catheters was used. Each catheter had a distal side hole and was connected proximally with a transducer. One catheter was localized at the lower esophageal sphincter and the other two respectively 5 cm and 10 cm above the sphincter. Pressure changes were recorded graphically on a direct writing multichannel recorder. 50 ml of water was introduced into the esophagus at 5 degrees C, 20 degrees C, 35 degrees C, and 50 degrees C. This produced incoordinated contractions at the three levels considered. The motility pressures were quantified by planimetry and transformed in areas of mm2. A statistic analysis showed that more activity accured with extreme temperature, specially with the water at 5 degrees C. This fact permits one to understand the reason of increasing dysphagia in patients with chagasic megaesophagus when very hot food is eaten.