Replacement of the Laplace Law for Simple Assessments of the Elastic Properties of the Esophagus

The in vivo inflation and extension of the esophagus is often part of common tests for the assessment of the biomechanical properties of the esophageal wall in humans. Equally common is the use of the Laplace law for estimating the state of stress and the stiffness of the esophageal wall. The use of Laplace law in clinical practice is briefly reviewed to show that the information collected via this law is misinterpreted in most cases of practical interest.
As an alternative to the Laplace law, a strategy is proposed to interpret the data collected in inflation and extension tests in a mechanistically correct way.
The strategy in question yields estimates of the shear modulus of the material.