Changes in colonic motility following abdominal irradiation in dogs

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare colonic motor patterns before and after a single abdominal dose of X-rays in dogs. Recordings were made from five serosally implanted strain gauges at equidistant intervals along the colon in seven dogs (2 dogs also had 2 jejunal electrodes and 1 had ileal electrodes). Control recordings were made for 3 h in the fasted state and daily for 2 wk after an absorbed X-ray dose of 938 cGy was delivered to the abdomen. The duration of migrating colonic motor complexes decreased from 7.2 +/- 0.5 to 3.9 +/- 0.4 min while the mean amplitude fell from 10.3 +/- 0.6 to 1.8 +/- 0.2 g (P < 0.05). The rate of nonmigrating colonic motor complex occurrence increased from 0.6 +/- 0.1 to 1.2 +/- 0.2 per hour (P < 0.05). Colonic giant migrating contractions were rarely observed during control recordings (2 in 80 h of recording). In contrast, repetitive clusters of giant contractions were observed 5-8 days after exposure in five of seven dogs (1.5/h) and were associated with restlessness, whining, and passage of diarrheal stools (sometimes bloody) with nearly every occurrence. The basic colonic motility patterns were less disrupted than were jejunal myoelectric patterns at the same irradiation dosage. However, the study demonstrates the important role of colonic giant migrating contractions in pathological diarrheal states such as irradiation injury.

Profiles and Time Course of Acute Radiation Toxicity Symptoms during Conformal Radiotherapy for Cancer of the Prostate

“…However, persisting inflammation was demonstrated in the lamina propria and the glands (12), possibly contributing to the clinical picture. Following a single radiation dose, thickening of the muscularis mucosae has been demonstrated (23), but no systematic data exist on inflammatory changes in or around the smooth muscle layers or in the ganglia of the enteric nervous system during fractionated RT. 2) Malabsorption/hypersecretion .…”

Propagation of giant migrating contractions between the small intestine, cecum and colon during radiation

“…When the GI tract is exposed to ionizing radiation, small intestinal 1–3 and colonic 4,5 motility are significantly altered and the changes correlate with GI symptoms. Increased frequency of GMCs is one manifestation of radiation injury and these contractions are associated with abdominal cramping and diarrhea 6–8 .…”

Effect of granisetron on radiation‐induced alterations of colonic motility and fluid absorption in rats

“… 30 Moreover, using different techniques, radiation‐induced increased fluid secretion has been observed in the small or large intestine of rats by several other workers 31–33 . With regard to intestinal or colonic motility, in vivo studies have shown that fractionated abdominal irradiation inhibits the basal cyclic motor profile and induces giant contractions in dogs 34 and in guinea pigs. Krantis et al .…”