External Electroenterography

THE PROBLEM of motility of the digestive tube has been of interest for many years. Previous studies in this field followed two parallel lines: one purely experimental on animals and on isolated pieces of intestine^1-4 and the other clinical.^5,6 The various methods used so far for the study of intestinal motility in man are complicated. They are based on x-ray control of the propulsion of a radiopaque liquid or solid bolus or on the registration of data concerning gut muscle contraction. The recordings are obtained by introduction of lumen-filling balloons or by implantation of electrodes into the intestinal wall. These methods are inconvenient to patient and observer⁷ and may also produce change of the intestinal motility.^6,8

The method reported herewith—external electroenterography (external EEnG)—avoids the above inconveniences. It is based on the recording of variations of bioelectric potentials corresponding to mechanical intestinal activity in that region.