Comparison of methodologies for the measurement of antroduodenal motor activity in the dog

We have compared the abilities of intraluminal strain gauges and manometry to record motor activity from the antrum and duodenum of the anesthetized dog. Responses to intraarterial carbachol, vagal stimulation, and field stimulation recorded by these devices were compared to those registered by strain gauges sewn onto the overlying serosa. In the antrum, the perfused tube (PT) recorded 98% and 97% of field- and vagal-stimulated phasic contractions, respectively, compared with 83% and 90% (p less than 0.005) registered by the intraluminal tube-mounted strain gauges (TSGs). In contrast, in the duodenum there was no difference between the accuracy of these devices in recording phasic activity induced by field stimulation (PT 90% and TSG 87%). Similarly, there was no difference between the abilities of these devices to record tonic contraction induced by carbachol in the antrum (PT 87% and TSG 90%) or duodenum (PT 82% and TSG 87%). However, TSGs misrepresented the configuration of phasic or tonic contractions, producing bifid, negative, or biphasic contractions substantially more frequently than did PT (p less than 0.005). These results illustrate that the accuracy of these two commonly used techniques may be influenced by anatomic factors as well as by the type of contraction recorded.