Oesophageal manometry. A comparison of hydraulic and syringe catheter infusion systems using a simple hydrostatic bench model.

A simple hydrostatic bench model is described which can be used to validate oesophageal intraluminal manometry measurements. Conventional syringe pump infusion was compared with the hydraulic capillary infusion system using this model. Accurate recording of pressure changes was achieved on the low compliance hydraulic system at infusion rates of 1 X 10(-8) m3 s-1 (0.6 ml min-1). To achieve comparable accuracy with syringe pump infusion, undesirably rapid infusion rates of 10.35 X 10(-8) m3 s-1 (6.2 ml min-1) were required. We believe that the hydrostatic bench model is a useful tool for checking the accuracy of infused catheter systems.