CHYME TRANSPORT PATTERNS IN HUMAN DUODENUM, DETERMINED BY MULTIPLE INTRALUMINAL IMPEDANCOMETRY

To get information about the mechanisms involved in chyme transport du ring the fasting and postprandial states, the novel procedure of multi ple intraluminal impedancometry was evaluated in 14 healthy subjects ( 6 during fasting, 8 after a test meal). All main features of the migra ting motor complex (MMC) cycle were determined. During phase II of the MMC cycle and the postprandial period, different transport patterns o f chyme, termed bolus transport events (BTEs), were determined. These were 1) simple long-distance propulsive transport (spreading distance > 16 cm), 2) short-distance propulsive transport, and 3) retrograde tr ansport. A significantly lower number of BTEs was recorded during fast ing than postprandially. Short-distance propulsive BTEs predominated d uring fasting (72%), and long-distance propulsive BTEs predominated af ter the test meal (76%). Retrograde BTEs were recorded during fasting (4%) and postprandially (8%). In the latter state, complex long-distan ce propulsive BTEs were also observed (5%), consisting of multiple com ponents. A major proportion of gastric contents was found to be contin uously transported to jejunum. In conclusion, impedancometry enables u s to determine patterns and parameters of chyme transport during fasti ng and postprandial states.