AN EVALUATION OF MOTOR FUNCTION IN TRANSVERSE COLON TRANSPLANTS AFTERTOTAL GASTRECTOMY

The motor activity of the isolated colon is understood less than that of any other part of the gastrointestinal viscus, Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the motor activity of the interposed tr ansverse colon following total gastrectomy through a study of 21 patie nts, Manometric studies were carried out with a 5-lumen, open-tipped c atheter in the resting state, in response to dry swallows, and swallow ing distilled water and a liquid meal, Contractile ma, es in the inter posed colon grafts were divided into three types, namely, high-amplitu de propagated contractions (HAPCs), low-amplitude propagated contracti ons (LAPCs), and tore-amplitude nonpropagated contractions (LANPCs). N o retrograde contractions were observed during the entire recording, M otor activity in the interposed colon increased to a greater extent af ter swallowing distilled water or liquid meals than during the resting period or after dry swallows; however, there was no significant diffe rence between the effect of distilled water and liquid meals, The moto r activity of the interposed colon was lower in patients with symptoms than in asymptomatic patients, These results suggest that the volume, rather than the composition, of the lumen contents is an important fa ctor for inducing interposed colon graft contractions, and that contra ctions of the interposed colon can help to propel the contents of the colon into the duodenum and clear any duodenal juice if reflux should occur.