INFLUENCE OF ELECTRIC STIMULATION FOR THE MOVEMENT OF GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

Response of the human gastrointestinal tract for the electric stimulation which was given intramurally, intraluminally or percutaneously using square waves of 10, 100 or 1, 000 c/s was studied by electromyography and cinefluorography.The following results were obtained.1. The stimuli of 5 volts for 5 seconds given intramurally caused sufficient local excitation, though the excitation did not extend to the entire intestinal tract.2. The stimulated part of the intestine showed a spastic state during the stimulation, and an atonic state followed it and continued for 5 to 10 minutes under cinefluorography.3. The intraluminal stimulation activated the movement of the entire gastrointestinal tract and the atonic state of the stimulated part lasted for one minute.4. The condition of the effective percutaneous stimulation required at least 20 volts and more than 15 times in frequency for sufficient excitation.5. Maximum excitation was observed about 10 minutes after the stimulation and it was obtained more effectively under the condition of 10 to 100 c/s than 1, 000 c/s.6. The intraluminal stimulation of 100 c/s, 20 volts and 10 seconds was performed on the laparotomized patients. From this experiment, it was revealed that this procedure was effective in the treatment of the postoperative intestinal paralysis.