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Of 1200 patients referred to the esophageal laboratory at Guy's Hospital for investigation of suspected esophageal motility disorders, 61 (5.1%) were diagnosed as diffuse esophageal spasm. Twenty of these patients whose symptoms were severe did not respond to conservative treatment and were treated by balloon dilatation. Results were good in 14 and poor in six patients, which included one esophageal perforation. Diffuse esophageal spasm was diagnosed where more than 30% nonperistaltic activity was demonstrated by manometry. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure and relaxation were normal in all cases except one. Gastroesophageal reflux was present in four of five poor responders who were examined by 24-h ambulatory pH monitoring, and in only one of 10 good responders. Three of the six patients in whom balloon dilatation was successful proceeded to full-length myotomy, with relief of symptoms in two. The indications for, and results of, balloon dilatation in this condition are discussed, and a new radiological sign is described.

We present a case in which a patient with suspected colorectal cancer, referred to the surgical outpatient clinic, was subsequently found to have a chicken wishbone apparently perforating the sigmoid colon. This demonstrates the complexities of diagnosis and management of an unusual presentation of ingested foreign body. This case is a useful learning point in consideration of differential diagnosis in the presentation of an apparently malignant lesion.

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This paper describes the technique of sequential endoscopy and biopsy of the intact rat stomach. It is recommended that this procedure be performed on fasted animals with access to water only, when a mortality of only 4% can be achieved.

Criteria for diffuse oesophageal spasm(DOS) are dysphagia and chest pain with oesophageal manometry showing retention of peristalsis with the presence of synchronous contractions in response to wet swallows. Because of the intermittent nature of the symptoms, edrophonium was used as a provocative agent to increase diagnostic yield. Three hundred and ninety-six patients underwent transnasal manometry using a Gaeltec system of six internal transducers arranged at 5 cm intervals from the catheter tip; the majority of these patients received 10 mg edrophonium as an intravenous bolus. Reproduction of symptoms with typical manometry of DOS indicated a positive provocation test. There were no significant side effects. DOS was diagnosed in 34 patients who had either the typical manometry or a positive provocation test. Thirty of these patients received edrophonium. Twenty patients had baseline manometry which was diagnostic and ten of this group had a positive provocation test. The remaining 10 patients, who had normal baseline manometry, had positive provocation tests following the injection of edrophonium. Without edrophonium provocation testing, about a third of patients would not have been diagnosed as having DOS.

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