[Esophageal sensitivity. Projection of esophageal pain induced by balloon distension]

The esophagus is source of several kinds of painful sensibility. Esophageal sensoriality follows the general visceral sensibility laws with some individual differences. We have investigated the areas of pain projection induced by a progressive balloon distension in 2 cm scales from 38 to 22 cm. of the dental row. It was registered the number of painful responses in everyone of the 13 frontal zones an 10 dorsal zones in which the chest was divided. Epigastrium and the base of neck were included. It was considered the first patient's symptom or until a maximum of 15 ml. of air (diameter = 3.2 cm.) 101 patients were examined. 1153 responses in the all 9 stimulated levels were obtained. 93.8% were in frontal zones, and 82.4% of them in median areas (from epigastrium to neck). There were not differences between both sexes. The inferior esophagus was significantly less sensible than the superior esophagus. The number of projections to the superior chest was proportionally larger. There were individual patterns which could be usefull in a particular patient.

a) the esophagus is not equally sensible in its whole extension; b) the metameric projection is multiple and predominates in frontal areas; c) the existence of "trigger zones" obligate to examine the whole extension of the esophagus when intraesophageal distension of a balloon is used as a diagnostic test.