The geometric configuration and morphometry of the rabbit oesophagus during luminal pressure loading.

The aim of the present study was to determine the geometric configuration and morphometric dimensions in the rabbit oesophagus during luminal pressure loading. The geometric configuration is of fundamental importance because it is related to stress and strain and determines the resistance to flow. The oesophagus was excised from rabbits, transferred to an organ bath and stretched to the in vivo length. Cannulas were inserted into both ends and each oesophagus was subjected to a luminal pressure up to 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10 cm H(2)O. After equilibrium was reached, the oesophagus was snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Sections were cut from five locations in the oesophagus and videotaped in the frozen state. Geometric and morphometric data including perimeter, circularities, area, thickness, buckles and strains in different layers were obtained from the video images. These variables did not show axial variation in the oesophagus. All variables changed as a function of the pressure. The whole wall thickness decreased as an inverse function of the pressure. The thickness decrease was mainly due to thinning of the submucosa and muscle. The number of buckles decreased from 4.05 +/- 0.34 at 0 cm H(2)O pressure to 0.07 +/- 0.07 at 10 cm H(2)O. Circumferential Green strain-pressure curves for the various layers all showed an exponential pattern. The curve obtained at the submucosa-muscle layer interface was located to the right of the other curves, indicating that the muscle layer was softest. The data obtained in this study will be useful for further modelling of the mechanics of the oesophagus.