Abstract
PURPOSE: This study investigated the role of the sacral nerves in the mechanism of defecation using adult mongrel dogs. The possibility of designing a colonic pacemaker as a new therapeutic device to treat defecation disturbances, such as fecal incontinence and severe constipation, is also discussed. METHODS: Colorectal motility during spontaneous defecation was monitored with force strain-gauge transducers implanted in the proximal, distal, and sigmoid colon, rectum, and internal anal sphincter. Under general anesthesia, the sacral nerve was stimulated electrically, and the colorectal motility response was examined. RESULTS: During spontaneous defecation, three characteristic motility patterns were observed: 1) giant migrating contractions of the colon were propagated to the rectum or anus; 2) the rectum relaxed before the giant migrating contractions were propagated; and 3) the internal anal sphincter was relaxed during the propagation of the giant migrating contraction. Sacral nerve stimulation elicited the following three unique responses: 1) contractile movements were propagated from the distal colon to the rectum; 2) a relaxation response was noted in the rectum; and 3) the internal anal sphincter exhibited a relaxation response. The duration and propagation velocity of the contractile responses and the duration of relaxation responses elicited by electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve were similar to those that occurred during spontaneous defecation, but their amplitudes were smaller. CONCLUSION: The coordinated processes of the colon and anorectum during defecation were affected by the sacral nerves. This suggests that it is possible to design a colonic pacemaker to control lower colonic and rectal movements.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
SK Sarna (1991) ArticleTitlePhysiology and pathophysiology of colonic motor activity (1) Dig Dis Sci 36 827–862
WB Cannon (1902) ArticleTitleThe movements of the intestines studied by means of the roentgen rays Am J Physiol 66 251–277
G Holtzknecht (1909) ArticleTitleDie normale peristalitik de kolon Münchener Medizinische Wochenschrift 56 2401–2403
DZ Lubowski AP Meagher RC Smart et al. (1995) ArticleTitleScintigraphic assessment of colonic function during defaecation Int J Colorectal Dis 10 91–93
JN Langley HK Anderson (1895) ArticleTitleThe innervation of the pelvic and adjoining viscera. Part I. The lower portion of the intestine J Physiol 18 67–105
JN Langley HK Anderson (1896) ArticleTitleThe innervation of the pelvic and adjoining viscera. Part V. Position of the nerve cells on the course of the efferent nerve fibers J Physiol 19 131–139
JN Langley HK Anderson (1896) ArticleTitleThe innervation of the pelvic and adjoining viscera. Part VI. Histological and physiological observations upon the effects of section of the sacral nerves J Physiol 19 372–384
JN Langley HK Anderson (1896) ArticleTitleThe innervation of the pelvic and adjoining viscera. Part VII. Anatomical observations J Physiol 19 385–406
WM Bayliss EH Starling (1900) ArticleTitleThe movement and the innervation of the large intestine J Physiol 26 107–118
TR Elliot E Barclay-Smith (1904) ArticleTitleAntiperistalsis and other muscular activities of the colon J Physiol 31 272–304
D Denny-Brown C Robertson (1935) ArticleTitleAn investigation of the nervous control of defecation Brain 58 256–310
D DeLooze M VanLaere M DeMuynck R Beke A Elewault (1998) ArticleTitleConstipation and other chronic gastrointestinal problems in spinal cord injury patients Spinal Cord 36 63–66
K Krogh J Nielsen JC Djurhuus C Mosdal S Sabroe S Laurberg (1997) ArticleTitleColorectal function in patients with spinal cord lesions Dis Colon Rectum 40 1233–1239
AM Connell H Frankel L Guttmann (1963) ArticleTitleThe motility of the pelvic colon following complete lesions of the spinal cord Paraplegia 3 98–115
A Pena (1987) ArticleTitleAnatomical considerations relevant to fecal continence Semin Surg Oncol 3 141–145
MK Youissville (1992) ArticleTitleStooling problems in patients with myelomeningocele South Med J 85 718–724
M Kaaraus SK Sarna (1987) ArticleTitleGiant migrating contractions during defecation in the dog colon Gastroenterology 92 925–933
SK Sarna R Condon V Cowles (1984) ArticleTitleColonic migrating and nonmigrating motor complexes in dogs Am J Physiol 246 355–360
A Malcom M Camilleri (2000) ArticleTitleColoanal motor coordination in association with high amplitude colonic contractions after pharmacological stimulation Am J Gastroenterol 95 715–719
WR Gower (1877) ArticleTitleThe autonomic action of the sphincter ani Proc R Soc Lond 26 77–84
WC DeGroat J Krier (1978) ArticleTitleThe sacral parasympathetic reflex pathway regulating colonic motility and defecation in the cat J Physiol 276 481–500
H Matsuhuji J Yokoyama T Hirabayashi S Watanabe K Sakurai (1998) ArticleTitleCooperative roles of colon and anorectum during spontaneous defecation in conscious dogs Dig Dis Sci 43 2042–2047
JD Wood (1984) ArticleTitleEnteric neurophysiology Am J Physiol 247 585–598
K Fukai H Fukuda (1984) ArticleTitleThe intramural pelvic nerves in the colon of dogs J Physiol 354 89–98
K Fukai H Fukuda (1985) ArticleTitleThree serial neurons in the innervation of the colon by the sacral parasympathetic nerve of the colon J Physiol 362 69–78
JM Jorge SD Wexner (1997) ArticleTitleAnatomy and physiology of the rectum and anus Eur J Surg 163 723–731
GB Luckensmeyer JR Keasr (1998) ArticleTitleProjection of pelvic autonomic neurons within the lower bowel of the male rat Neuroscience 84 263–280
N Ihara H Takahira (1984) ArticleTitleRegulation of the anal canal pressures as revealed by myoelectrical activity of the internal activity of the internal anal sphincter [in Japanese] Nippon Heikatsukinn Gakkai Zasshi 20 123–135
K Tamura H Takahira (1985) ArticleTitleFunctional architecture of smooth muscle sphincter Nippon Heikatsukinn Gakkai Zasshi 21 439–453
S Namba H Takahira (1987) ArticleTitleElementary components of the recto-anal reflex observed in decerebrate dogs and cats [in Japanese] Nippon Heikatsukinn Gakkai Zasshi 23 1–15
J Yokoyama S Namba N Ihara et al. (1989) ArticleTitleStudies on the rectoanal reflex in children and in experimental animals Prog Pediatr Surg 24 5–20
H Hedlund L Fandriks D Delbro S Fasth (1985) ArticleTitleOn the transmission of sacral parasympathetic nervous influence on distal colonic and rectal motility in the cat Acta Physiol Scand 125 225–234
M Ishikawa R Mibu T Iwamoto H Konomi Y Oohata M Tanaka (1997) ArticleTitleChange in colonic motility after extrinsic autonomic denervation in dogs Dig Dis Sci 42 1950–1956
LA Pavcovich M Yang RR Miselis RJ Valentino (1998) ArticleTitleNovel role for the pontine micturition center, Barrington’s nucleus Brain Res 784 355–361
PE VanKerrebroeck HE van der Aa JL Bosch EL Koldewijn JH Vorsteveld FM Debruyne (1997) ArticleTitleSacral rhizotomies and electrical bladder stimulation in spinal cord injury Eur Urol 31 263–271
G Egon M Barat P Clombel C Visentin JL Isambert J Guerin (1998) ArticleTitleImplantation of anterior sacral root stimulators combined with posterior sacral rhizotomy in spinal injury patients World J Urol 16 342–349
NR Binnie AN Smith GH Creasey P Edmond (1991) ArticleTitleConstipation associated with chronic spinal cord injury Paraplegia 29 463–469
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Hirabayashi, T., Matsufuji, H., Yokoyama, J. et al. Colorectal Motility Induction by Sacral Nerve Electrostimulation in a Canine Model. Dis Colon Rectum 46, 809–817 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-6661-7
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-6661-7