Mass Movements (Mass Peristalsis) and Diverticular Disease of the Colon

Study of large bowel peristalsis.

“…The average rate of progression (25 cm/minute) was similar to that recorded radiologically (Williams, 1967).…”

“…Bisacodyl and Oxyphenisatin, drugs which are known to increase the frequency of stripping waves (Schlegel, 1954;McLaren, King, andCopland, 1955, andWilliams, 1967), were used to stimulate colonic emptying. After establishing that the stripping waves excited by these drugs were peristaltic in nature and similar to those occurring naturally, Bisacodyl was used to induce peristalsis, so that further studies could be made of the underlying mechanism.…”

“…Progressive waves of contraction which empty long segments of colon can, however, be stimulated by an enema; such activity is usually called a stripping wave and can be regarded as a form of induced peristalsis1 (Williams, 1967).…”

Colonic motor activity and bowel function. I. Normal movement of contents.

“…The classical description of Bayliss and Starling (1900) makes it clear that they regarded peristalsis as essentially a progressive wave of contraction preceded by a wave of relaxation. Peristalsis within this strict definition, though called a 'stripping wave', has recently been described in detail by Williams (1967) as a feature of the evacuation of barium enemata to which 2% of Dulcolax had been added. These 'actuated' waves propelled liquid bowel contents at varying speeds between the slowest visible advance and about 3 in.…”

Colonic motor activity and bowel function. II. Distribution and incidence of motor activity at rest and after food and carbachol.

“…It is also evident that almost all the major propulsive movements described by pioneers like Holzknecht (1909), Barclay (1912), and Hertz (or Hurst) and Newton (1913) began in the transverse colon. Williams (1967), who studied the stripping waves that occurred during barium enema examinations in patients with diverticular disease, found that they might start in any part of the colon and travelled over widely varying distances. However, about twothirds of the waves that began in the caecum failed to pass beyond the splenic flexure and about twothirds of those that started at the splenic flexure stopped when they reached the pelvic colon.…”