Simultaneous recording of circular and longitudinal muscle contractions of the canine jejunum.

A method has been developed for monitoring the mechanical activities of individual longitudinal and circular muscles in a 5 millimeters long segment of intact intestine in the anesthetized dog. The longitudinal contractions were recorded by means of a new movement transducer. The circular contractions were recorded simultaneously using a water-filled intraluminal balloon. A precise separation of longitudinal and circular motor activities was obtained with this method. The two muscle layers manifested motor activity most of the time, but their contractions were out of phase. Phase locking was observed only during short periods of time. The contractions were then sequential, the circular one being first.