Elastic properties of the oesophageal wall in the dynamic measurement of intrathoracic pressure in cattle

The elastance of the midthoracic portion of the oesophagus was measured in 14 healthy Dutch Friesians. These were divided into three groups with mean ages of six, 126 and 1636 days, respectively. Mean elastance was 0.17, 0.10 and 0.06 kPa ml-1, respectively. The calculated percentage of error, in relating the endoesophageal pressure with that in the thorax, was found to be smaller than 1 per cent for each animal.