[On the role of myotomy in the treatment of diverticular disease (author's transl)].

UNLABELLED

Spontaneous motor action of fresly prepared circular and longitudinal muscle strips were examined in two separated trials. Bowel musculature of diverticular patients were compared with those of normal subjects. Finally all explantations were examined histologically.

RESULTS

1. There was no difference in electrical activity and tension development regarding circular muscle strips of patients suffering from D.D. and those of normal subjects. 2. The longitudinal muscles show however significant differences in contrast to normal subjects; to sum up D.D. presents us a spastic and contracted taenia. 3. The histological investigations did not explain the different electromechanical results. There were however remarcable ribbons only in the longitudinal muscle of D.D.--known from myoma uteri. The results of the electrophysiological analysis have importance for our surgical concept in the treatment of peridiverticulitis. They justify the horizontal myotomy in the left, functionally disturbed colon descendens additional to the resection as an preventive procedure.