Migrating electrical spike activity in the fasting human small intestine.

The purpose of the present investigation was to describe characteristics of migrating electrical phenomena in the human small intestine. A specially designed probe with several bipolar electrodes was placed in the upper small intestine of 5 normal, fasting volunteers for continuous registration of electrical spike potentials. A migrating myoelectric complex was observed resembling observations made previously in animal experiments. The active phase consisted of regular spike potentials propagating distally at a mean velocity of 12 cm/min, and a duration of about 5 min. In addition a "peristaltic rush" was observed consisting of spike potentials with a high amplitude, propagating distally at a mean velocity of 2 cm/sec and a duration of about 5 sec.