[Modern diagnostic tools for esophageal pathologies].

Modern functional laboratories provide various techniques for the evaluation of esophageal diseases. For proton pump inhibitor (PPI) refractory reflux symptoms the differentiation of non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional heartburn is essential for the choice of further treatment. The differentiation of the two clinical entities is based on functional diagnostic methods, such as catheter-based and catheter-free pH measurement as well as combined pH measurement and intraluminal impedance. Combined pH measurement and impedance monitoring detects individual reflux episodes and permits the diagnosis of additional functional esophageal diseases, such as supragastric belching. The technical innovation of high resolution manometry has led to a better understanding of esophageal pathophysiology and motility disorders and resulted in a new classification system of esophageal motility disorders (Chicago classification). The diagnosis of achalasia by high resolution manometry differentiates three distinct subtypes which has a direct therapeutic impact on the clinical management.