An Experimental Study on the Influence of Celiac and Superior Mesenteric Ganglionectomy on the Motor Activities of Small Intestine and Colon

Daisaku Ohta

Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, The University of Nagasaki (Director: Prof. Takashi Kanematsu)

To investigate the influence of celiac and superior mesenteric ganglionectomy (ganglionectomy) on the motor activities of the small intestine and colon, this study was undertaken in seven dogs. Seven strain gage force transducers were implanted on the small intestine, the ileocecal-junction, and the right colon. Recordings were made before and after ganglionectomy in the fasting and postprandial states. In the small intestine, interdigestive migrating motor complexes (MMCs) were observed before and after ganglionectomy. After ganglionectomy, the duration of phase I was significantly reduced, that of phase II was significantly elongated, and MMC migration time was significantly reduced. In the postpranidal state, bursts of high amplitude contractions were observed after ganglionectomy, and these contractions migrated rapidly over the entire small intestine. Rapid postprandial transit of luminal contents of the small intestine after ganglionectomy was suggested by this phenomenon. In the colon, the motor activities were not altered by ganglionectomy in the fasting state. However, in the postprandial state statistically significant reduction of the duration of the quiescent state (12.7∼13.3 min before ganglionectomy to 4.9∼6.3 min after ganglionectomy) was noted, and statistically significant elongation of the duration of the contractile state (6.9∼8.6 min before ganglionectomy to 13.4∼20.1 min after ganglionectomy) was noted. These results indicate that the hyperactivity of the small intestine and colon after ganglionectomy was induced by blocking of the inhibitory nerve or the inhibitory intestino-intestinal reflex through the celiac and superior mesenteric ganglion.

Key words
celiac ganglionectomy, superior mesenteric ganglionectomy, extrinsic nurve, small intestinal motility, colonic motility

Reprint requests
Daisaku Ohta Department of Surgery, Murayama Hospital National Sanatorisum
2-37-1 Gakuen Musashimurayama, 190-12 JAPAN

Accepted
July 6, 1992

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