Esophageal manometry measures how strongly and in what order the esophagus pushes when you swallow

What happens in the room?

1. Local anaesthetic in the nose.

   MedlinePlus notes that before the procedure you receive numbing medicine inside the nose.

2. The catheter goes down to the stomach.

   It is a thin catheter with pressure sensors along its length. It passes through the nose, travels the esophagus and is positioned.

3. Measured, spaced swallows of water.

   The system records each swallow separately, with pauses in between so the esophagus returns to rest.

4. A change of position.

   The standard high-resolution protocol calls for swallows lying down and also sitting up, plus one rapid drink.

5. The catheter comes out.

   Removal is quick and needs no sedation recovery.

The whole exam takes about 1 hour.

Conventional or high resolution?

Fonasa's 2026 MLE fee schedule carries a single line, manometría esofágica convencional, code 18-01-011. The high-resolution version uses a catheter with sensors roughly one centimetre apart and is what the Chicago Classification version 4.0 protocol assumes.

Each centre decides which name it publishes for what it offers. If your order says high resolution and the catalogue says conventional, ask before you turn down the slot.

What is it confused with?

• Anorectal manometry, code 18-01-043. Same surname, opposite end of the digestive tract, different room, different professional.
• Acid reflux testing or pH monitoring, code 18-01-012. Often requested alongside manometry and sometimes done in the same session, yet billed and booked separately.
• Upper endoscopy. It shares the route and the word catheter, and usually comes earlier in the sequence. It is covered in the upper endoscopy guide.

The word manometry on its own is not enough to book. It is the most frequent ambiguity in this service and it is resolved by reading the whole line.

What does the centre ask for beforehand?

Generally a period of fasting, a review of the medicines you take and, in many cases, prior tests already done. The specialist referral usually travels in the same envelope.

Can I go back to work afterwards?

Without sedation, most people resume their day. Some nose and throat discomfort lingers for a while. Your centre will tell you if your case calls for something different.

Why does this order get lost?

Volume. Few centres own the equipment, so slots are scarce and far out. A distant slot decays on its own: the phone number changes, the address changes, the date is forgotten. By the time the centre calls to confirm, nobody answers and the whole slot is lost, no-show included.

On top of that it is almost never the first step. It usually follows an endoscopy or a specialist visit, and every intermediate link is another chance for the chain to break.

Being accompanied from the order to the appointment, even when the slot is months away, is possible today. If your centre runs Surface, that follow-up comes with it; ask at the front desk.