Organization of Spontaneous Rhythm of the Small Intestine in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Stomach and Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

The distribution of the main frequencies of spontaneous rhythm of the small intestine in the 12.0-8.0 cycle/min range (by the aboral frequency gradient) was studied by the electrogastroenterographic method in healthy individuals and patients with stomach and colorectal cancer before and after gastrectomy and total removal of the large intestine. Organization of spontaneous rhythm of the small intestine on an empty stomach and after mixed food load in healthy individuals and changes in this organization in patients with stomach and colorectal cancer before and after total gastrectomy and complete removal of the large intestine were evaluated. The authors hypothesize that the stomach normally coordinates the small intestinal rhythm, while in stomach cancer this coordination is impaired. Changes in spontaneous rhythm of the small intestine (both in the proximal and distal portions) were detected in patients with colorectal cancer.

A biomagnetic assessment of colonic electrical activity in pigs

“…The changes we observed in the frequency and amplitude are clearly results of colectomy. The observed increase in dominant frequency is probably caused by the post-colectomy domination of the signal by the small bowel ECA which is known to occur at frequencies typically higher than that of colonic ECA (Tamazashvili et al 2001, Vornovitskii et al 2004. The decrease in signal amplitude post-colectomy was not unexpected since the SQUID sensor used for analysis was chosen according to its proximity to the bowel segment.…”