Smooth Muscle Flashcards
Where are smooth and skeletal muscle found in the GIT?
- Smooth = most regions
- Skeletal = pharynx, top 1/3 oesophagus, external anal sphincter
2 types of smooth muscle in the GIT, and where each is found
- Phasic, rapid contraction + relaxation
> Body of oesophagus, stomach antrum, small + large intestines - Tonic, sustained contractions
> Sphincters (LOS, ileocecal, internal anal), orad (upper) stomach
What does activation of the myenteric plexus do?
- Increase tonic contraction
- Increase intensity of rhythmic contractions
- Increase rate of rhythmic contractions + velocity of conduction
What does activation of the submucosal plexus do?
- Increase secretory activity
- Modulate intestinal absorption
Inhibitory long-range intestinal reflexes
- Ileo-gastric
- Intestino-intestinal
Excitatory long-range intestinal reflexes
- Gastro-enteric
- Gastro-ileal
- Gastro-colic
- Duodeno-colic
Pathologies of GIT motility
- Hirschsprung disease
- Chagas disease
- Achalasia
What is Hirschsprung disease?
- Congenital lack of neuronal ganglionic cells in the ENS plexi
- Aperistaltic bowel segment prevents propulsion of faecal stream, resulting in megacolon above point where nerves are missing + hypertrophy of normal proximal colon
What is Chagas disease?
Infectious disease of parasitic nature, resulting in significant reduction in number of ganglionic cells in ENS
What is achalasia?
Dramatic reduction in number of neuronal cells in lower oesophagus
What is the characteristic radiological feature of achalasia?
Bird’s beak
Clinical presentation of achalasia
Solid dysphagia 90-100% (75% dysphagia to liquids)
Diagnosis of achalasia
- Plain film (air-fluid level, wide mediastinum, absent gastric bubble, pulmonary infiltrates)
- Barium oesophagram (dilated oesophagus with taper at LOS)
- Endoscopy (rule out GE junction tumours)
- Oesophageal manometry (absent peristalsis, decreased LOS relaxation + resting LOS >45mmHg)
Treatment of achalasia
- Reduce LOS pressure + increase emptying:
> Nitrates + calcium channel blockers
> Botulinum toxin
> Pneumatic dilation
> Surgical myotomy
What is the role of the highly-folded nature of the stomach?
- Folds flatten out upon filling
- Wall tension + intraluminal pressure change only very slightly
What is receptive relaxation?
Relaxation of the fundus is regulated by the vago-vagal reflex (if interrupted intra-gastric pressure increases)
What is the sieving function of the stomach?
Liquids + small particles leave more rapidly than larger ones