The hypothesis that oesophageal peristalsis can be modified voluntarily was explored. Six healthy male volunteers and eight female patients with angina like chest pain underwent oesophageal manometry. Each was asked to take a series of swallows, and to vary their size, in random order, by taking either a big gulp or a little swallow. None of the subjects experienced difficulty in doing so. In b...

1. Nicotine, 20 mug/ml, briefly and partially blocked the longitudinal contractions of a chick vagus nerve-oesophagus preparation to nerve stimulation, but potentiated them in the presence of hyoscine, 10 mug/ml.2. Strychnine, 20 mug/ml, antagonized the longitudinal contractions of the chick oesophagus to nerve stimulation, though not to acetylcholine or 5-hydroxytryptamine. Hyoscine, 10 mug/ml...

Obstructive and nonobstructive forms of hydronephrosis (increased diameter of the renal pelvis and calyces) and hydroureter (dilatation of the ureter) are the most frequently detected antenatal abnormalities, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely undefined. Hedgehog (Hh) proteins control tissue patterning and cell differentiation by promoting GLI-dependent transcriptional activati...

The gastrointestinal tract transports the food bolus by peristalsis. Gut motility starts at an early age in the developing embryo, well before it is required for nutrition of the organism. We present a comprehensive kinematic study of the emergence and physiological development of gut motility in all regions of the lower digestive tract of the chicken embryo from embryonic days E5 through E9. W...

A 15-year-old girl was referred to our hospital with a tumor in the mediastinum that had been found on a chest radiograph during a medical check-up. An esophagram showed a large mediastinal mass (60mm in diameter) (▶Video1). No peristalsis of the thoracic esophagus (smooth muscle area) was apparent, and dilatation of the esophagus and retention of the barium were observed on the proximal side o...

PURPOSE Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a new efficacious treatment option for achalasia. We propose to define "esophageal remodeling" as the functional restoration of the esophagus that involves decreased lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, recovery of esophageal body peristalsis, and reduction of luminal diameter. The aim of this study was to investigate "esophageal remodeling" af...

A review was made in the MR studies including cine MR and surgical and pathological reports of ten patients with surgically confirmed strangulated small bowel obstruction to establish criteria for a definite MR diagnosis and indications for surgery. Akinesis of the closed loop and movement in surrounding bowel loops (peristalsis gap) were noted in all patients. lntraluminal low-intensity on TPw...

BACKGROUND Sleeve gastrectomy may alter esophageal motility and lower esophageal sphincter pressure. AIM To detect manometric changings in the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter before and after sleeve gastrectomy in order to select patients who could develop postoperative esophageal motilitity disorders and lower esophageal sphincter pressure modifications. METHODS Seventy-three pati...

The ureter provides a way for urine to flow from the kidney to the bladder. Peristalsis in the ureter partially forces the urine flow, along with hydrostatic pressure. Ureteral diseases and a double J stent, which is commonly inserted in a ureteral stenosis or occlusion, disturb normal peristalsis. Ineffective or no peristalsis could make the contour of the ureter a tube, a funnel, or a combina...

Objective. To investigate the esophageal function tests in British and Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods. Patients with GERD were selected from the functional gut clinic, London, and digestive department, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, after taking the examinations of High-resolution Manometry and Impedance (HRiM) and 24-hour Multi-Channel Intraluminal Impedance...