[Colonic motility].

Intraluminal manometry with microballoons or perfused catheters as well as determinations of transit time are the most important methods in the study of colonic motility. Motility recording is complementary to other methods of investigation; but we cannot yet prove or disprove the diagnosis of any disease of the colon by studying motility. In further motility studies, the development of a technique for the diagnosis of the irritable bowel syndrome, the most frequent gastrointestinal disease, should have priority. According to our present knowledge, motility disturbances of the colon may be classified as follows: achalasic colon, hypersegmenting colon, hyposegmenting colon and disturbances of the defecation reflex.