The human colon consists of a string of haustral compartments; hence all colonic motility involves haustra, yet contraction patterns are rarely discussed from the perspective of haustra. Haustral activity was analyzed in 21 healthy subjects using an 84-sensor manometry catheter with 1 cm spacing; haustra were on average 4.6 cm long, hence their activity was monitored by 4-5 sensors. On average 47% of the haustra were intermittently active for ~ 30% of the time; 2402 periods of haustra activity were analyzed. Intrahaustral activity showed rhythmic pressure waves centred around a frequency of 2-6 cpm or 7-15 cpm, or a checkerboard segmentation pattern. Boundaries of the haustra showed rhythmic pressure activity at a dominant frequency pf 3 cpm with or without elevated baseline pressure. The haustral activity was a low-amplitude motor pattern, 5-30 mmHg above baseline pressure. The intrahaustral rhythmic pressure waves propagated in a mixed pattern: retrograde, antegrade and simultaneous, with the simultaneous appearance dominating. Active haustra often showed no boundary activity probably allowing transit to neighbouring haustra. Haustral boundaries are seen at the same sensor for the 6-8 hr study duration, indicating that they do not propagate. Based on previous studies we infer that the orchestration of haustral activity involves pacemaker activity from ICC-SMP. High amplitude propagating pressure waves (HAPWs), were often followed by a cyclic motor pattern at a frequency ~ 12 cpm dissolving into haustral activity at that frequency. The HAPW may be composed of neurally-induced summated pressure waves at ~ 12 cpm.
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