PRESSURE-VOLUME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUMAN COLON

Abstract

The motility of the human colon has been further defined in terms of an intraluminal pressure-volume relationship. During distension with water of a balloon lying in a segment of signoid colon, pressure, volume and rate of flow of water into the balloon were measured simultaneously with strain gauge and flowmeter respectively. The outputs of these instruments were fed into a vector oscilloscope permitting mathematical analysis of these relationships at various stages of distension. In the colons of normal subjects, morphine increased and propantheline decreased the resistance of the viscus to distension. These drugs however, did not alter the rate of accommodation to distension. Visceral pain was noted only when the limit of distensibility of the viscus was approached.