Symptoms & Diagnostics
Pediatric Motility Center
Motility Disorder Symptoms and Diagnostics
Symptoms of a Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder
Many different symptoms may indicate a gastrointestinal motility disorder. Some of these include:
- Bloating and swollen abdomen
- Constipation
- Difficulty swallowing
- Fecal incontinence and soiling
- Gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying
- Heartburn
- Persistent nausea and vomiting
- Unexplained chest pain
- Weight loss or appetite loss
Diagnostic Procedures
The following are common indications for manometry testing to diagnose a motility disorder. Manometry measures muscle contractions throughout the digestive tract.
Esophageal Manometry
- To explain esophageal dysfunction that is not explained by anatomic or well-defined etiologies
- To investigate dysphagia and odynophagia
- For diagnosis of achalasia or other primary esophageal motor disorders
- In the post treatment evaluation of patients with achalasia and recurrent symptoms
- To investigate noncardiac chest pain
- Prior to fundoplication when a severe motility disorder is suspected
Antroduodenal Manometry
- To establish the presence of pseudo-obstruction
- To classify pseudo-obstruction into myopathic or neuropathic forms
- To evaluate unexplained nausea and vomiting
- To distinguish between rumination and vomiting
- To exclude generalized motility dysfunction in patients with dysmotility elsewhere (e.g., before colectomy)
- To evaluate patients with pseudo-obstruction being considered for intestinal transplant
- To possibly help predict outcome after feeding or after drug use in patients with pseudo-obstruction
Colonic Manometry
- To evaluate patients with intractable constipation
- To evaluate children with pseudo-obstruction for the establishment of the presence of colonic involvement and to characterize the relationship between motor activity and persistent symptoms
- To establish the pathophysiology of persistent symptoms in selected children with Hirschsprung disease, imperforate anus, intractable constipation and other colorectal problems
- To assess colonic motor activity prior to intestinal transplant
- To assess segmental activity prior to colonic resection.
- To assess efficacy of cecostomy
Anorectal Manometry
- To diagnose a non-relaxing internal anal sphincter
- To diagnose pelvic floor dyssynergia
- To evaluate postoperative patients with Hirschsprung disease who have obstructive symptoms and to evaluate the effect of anal sphincter-directed therapies
- To evaluate patients with fecal incontinence
- To evaluate postoperative patients after imperforate anus repair
- To decide whether the patient is a candidate for biofeedback therapy
- Biofeedback therapy for chronic constipation, encopresis and bowel rehab
For more information about the Motility Center, please call (321) 841-3338
