BACKGROUND & AIMS Evaluation of small bowel motility by intestinal manometry is invasive and requires expertise for interpretation. Our aim was to use capsule technology for evaluation of small bowel motor function based on a fully computerized image analysis program. METHODS Thirty-six consecutive patients with severe intestinal motor disorders (19 fulfilling manometric criteria of intestina...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Weight loss is a recognized alarm symptom for organic gastrointestinal (GI) disease, yet the association between weight change (loss or gain) and specific GI symptoms remains poorly described. We assess the associations between GI symptoms and weight change in a population-based sample of Australian adults. METHODS The prevalence of 26 GI symptoms was determined by a postal su...

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility and autonomic neuropathy are common problems among diabetics with largely unknown aetiology. Many peptides are involved in the autonomic nervous system regulating the GI tract. The aim of this study was to examine if concentrations of oxytocin, cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin and vasopressin in plasma differ between diabetics with normal function and ...

OBJECTIVE To review the pathophysiology of gastroparesis and present a practical approach to the management of this disorder in the critically ill patient. DATA SOURCES Articles and published abstracts on the mechanisms and management gastroparesis relevant to the critically ill patient. SUMMARY OF REVIEW The importance of early enteral nutrition in the critically ill patient has been recog...

BACKGROUND Few studies have described patients with foregut dysmotility in inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this case series was to evaluate clinical characteristics of 5 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and symptoms and signs of upper gut dysmotility. CASE PRESENTATIONS We describe a series of four patients with Crohn's disease and one with indeterminate colitis who presented w...

BACKGROUND Esophageal dysmotility, a considerable issue following esophageal atresia (EA) repair, has been reported but has not been precisely described and characterized. Using high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM), we characterized the esophageal motility patterns in children with repaired EA and compared these patterns of dysmotility with symptomatology. METHODS HREM was performed as...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of conventional treatment of chronic functional constipation on total and segmental colonic transit times and on orocecal transit time. METHODS A total of 34 consecutive patients with functional constipation attending a specialized outpatient clinic were included in the study. Total and segmental colonic transit times were assessed using radiopaque markers. H...

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuroradiculopathy (CIDP) is an immune mediated disorder characterized by progressive developing or relapsing symmetrical motor or sensory symptoms in more than one limb over a period of two months. Achalasia, as a primary esophageal motility disorder, is also characterized by increasing the tone of lower esophageal sphincter, absence or incomplete sphinct...

Whole exome sequencing continues to end the diagnostic odyssey for a number of patients and expands our knowledge of phenotypes associated with gene mutations. We describe an 11-year-old female patient with a constellation of symptoms including congenital cataracts, gut dysmotility, sensory neuropathy, and bifrontal polymicrogyria. Whole exome sequencing was performed and identified a de novo h...

Traditionally after abdominal surgery, the passage of flatus or bowel movement is considered the clinical evidence for starting an oral diet. The resolution of post-operative ileus defined by the passage of flatus usually occurs within five days (1, 2). Post-operative dysmotility predominantly affects the stomach and colon, with the small bowel recovering normal function 4-8 hours after laparot...