Measurement of gastric and small bowel electrical activity at laparoscopy

Recordings of gastric electrical activity can be employed in the diagnosis of certain gastric motility disorders. Since the best recordings are obtained from electrodes implanted at laparotomy, the scope of application of this technique is limited. The current study details a method of measuring gastric electrical activity at laparoscopy. The patients were 3 Caucasian women whose age range was 16 to 30 years. Their pertinent history included symptoms of nausea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. Gastric and small bowel electrical activity was measured with stainless steel electrodes implanted into the serosa of the stomach and small bowel at laparoscopy. Laparoscopy was performed for small bowel biopsy, bowel resection, or feeding tube placement. The recorded signals were evaluated by manual analysis. Good quality gastric and small bowel electrical activities were obtained. Amplitude, frequency, rhythmicity, and direction of propagation information were readily obtained by visual inspection. Laparoscopic measurement of gastric electrical activity produces excellent quality recordings comparable with recordings from electrodes implanted at laparostomy. The technique combines the advantage of laparoscopy with the usefulness of serosal measurement of gastrointestinal electrical activity.