The use of strain gage transducers to study gastroduodenal motility in turkeys

The purpose of this study was to determine if extraluminal strain-gauge transducers (SGT), which have not been tested in birds, could be used to accurately monitor gastroduodenal motility in turkeys. Recordings of gastroduodenal motility obtained from implanted SGT's were compared to recordings obtained simultaneously using measurements of intraluminal pressure (ILP), a method previously used in birds. Frequencies, durations and amplitudes of GI motility as determined by the ILP method were highly significantly correlated with those determined by the SGT method with one exception. The mean amplitude of the force of the contractions of the thin muscle of the muscular stomach was not significantly correlated with the ILP amplitude occurring during this contraction. This exception can be accounted for. In general, although recordings of the same GI events simulatneously obtained by the two methods were not identical, they were similar. Most importantly, similar information about the gastroduodenal contraction cycle was obtained by either monitoring method.