Photo-Optical Observation of Colonic Motility in Man The Ileocecal Region and Right Side Colon

• Published in: Nippon Daicho Komonbyo Gakkai Zasshi Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 291 - 299,362
• Main Author: Takahashi, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Coloproctology 1977
• ISSN: 0047-1801; 1882-9619
• DOI: 10.3862/jcoloproctology.30.291

The present study was made to investigate the motility of the ileoceal region and right side colon. The subjects studied were 21 adults who did not suffer from colorectal diseases.For this purpose a 16 mm X-ray cinematogram was taken in each case using barium enema in supine position. A photooptical measurement was performed on these cinefilms wit a film motion analyzer. The results obtained are as follows: 1. In all cases, small non-propulsive movements of colonic haustration were observed which were expressed as changes in the outline of the haustra. 2. A large propulsive movement (mass peristalsis) was seen in 4 cases during the period of study. This movement starts from the cecal area and finishes at the neighbourhood of the left colic flexure. 3. Contraction of the ascending colic sphincter (cecocolic sphincter) was observed above the ileocolic orifice, and a sac-shaped portion was formed proximal from it. The cecocolic sphincter was relatively relaxed during the sac being filled, but it remained contracted while the content was transported into the distal parts by mass peristalsis, which originated in the cecal area after remarkable tonic contraction in the terminal ileum. 4. The terminal ileum remained contracted strongly while the right side colon contracted. It seems that tonic contraction of the terminal ileum prevents regurgitation of fecal content back into the ileum. 5. Morphologically obvious movement was not observed on the Cannon-Boehm's point of the transverse colon. 6. Transportation of feces in the ascending and transverse colon which lies distal to the cecocolic sphincter depends on the serial multihaustral propulsion.