Transcutaneous electrosigmoidography Study of the myoelectric activity of sigmoid colon by surface electrodes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibilty of performing transcutaneous electrosigmoidography (TC-ESG). The study involved 19 healthy volunteers (11 men, 8 women; mean age 38.2 +/- 14.8 years). To validate the results of TC-ESG, the latter was performed simultaneously with intra-sigmoid ESG. TC-ESG was done also in five patients who underwent sigmoidectomy. The optimal position of the electrodes was determined after several trials. Two electrodes (Beckman) were applied, each 2-3 cm away from the middle of a line drawn from the umbilicus to the symphysis pubis. A third electrode was placed just above the symphysis pubis. A reference electrode was applied to one of the lower limbs. For intra-sigmoid IS-ESG, two silver-silver chloride electrodes were introduced from the anal orifice into the sigmoid colon and were attached to the mucosa by suction. Pacesetter potentials (PPs) were recorded as regular negative deflections. They had constant amplitude, frequency and velocity when recordings were obtained in the same subject. The PPs registered transcutaneously had the same amplitude, frequency and velocity as those recorded intrasigmoidally. Action potentials could be registered only intrasigmoidally and not transcutaneously. No electric waves could be recorded by TC-ESG in 5 patients who had undergone sigmoidectomy. In conclusion, TC-ESG is a simple, non-invasive and non-radiologic technique that can substitute intra-sigmoid ESG and potentially can be used in the diagnosis of various pathologic conditions of sigmoid colon.

Study of the electric activity of the cirrhotic liver with identification of an electrohepatogram

“…The waves were recorded either transluminally or percutaneously (5,18,19,23). Wave abnormalities were detected in the electrogram of the aforementioned organs when they were diseased (5,6,12,13,16,17,24,25) .…”

Electrovesicography in Interstitial Cystitis

“…The technique was described previously [14] and will be men tioned here briefly. The subject was asked to abstain from urination for at least 4 h prior to testing.…”

“…Like the other smooth muscles in the gut [ 1 -10] and cavernous tis sue [11,12], it possesses an electric as well as mechanical activity [13]. Recent studies [13,14] have shown that the electric waves or pacesetter potentials (PPs) evoked by the vesical detrusor were triphasic with a small positive, a large negative and another small positive deflection. The PPs in each subject showed the same frequency and regu lar rhythm at each repetition of the test.…”

“…The latter is differ entiated as bradyvesica, tachyvesica or vesicoarrhythmia. The normal vesical electric rhythm ranges from 3 to 7 cycles/min (cpm; mean 4.8 ± 0.9 SD cpm) [14], 'Bradyvesica' is defined as decreased PP frequency to less than 1 cpm, 'tachyvesica' as increased regular frequency to more than 9 cpm and 'vesicoarrhythmia' as an increased PP rhythm with irregular periods.…”

“…The APs were inconsistent, occurred randomly and were accompa nied by a minor vesical pressure increase indicating vesi cal motile activity. They were recorded in the canine model when the electrodes were applied directly to the vesical wall [13] but could not be registered transcutaneously [14],…”