Topographical electrogastrograms after radical esophagectomy with colonic replacement

Purpose. To characterize the functional substitution of colon for the esophagus, we compared the electrogastrogram (EGG) maps and spectral frequencies and power of preoperative controls with patients who had undergone colonic replacement. Methods. Monopolar EGGs were recorded and spectrally analyzed at 27 locations on the thoracoabdominal surface. The spectral powers of five frequency groups were converted into EGG maps. Results. In contrast to the epigastric concentrations of maximal power foci in a preoperative 3-cpm (cycles per minute) group, those of the colon replacement subjects seemed not to be concentrated in the epigastric region. Power in the 6-cpm colon replacement group were significantly greater and those in the 3-cpm colon replacement group were significantly less than those in the preoperative controls. Spectral frequencies in the 1- and 3-cpm colon replacement groups were significantly higher than those in the preoperative controls. Conclusions. The colonic and gastric EGG activities had 3-cpm, and probably 6-cpm in common. However, the colonic EGG activities were significantly different from the gastric EGG activities in frequency in the 3-cpm group, and in amplitude in both the 3- and 6-cpm groups. Thus, the replaced colon seems to preserve the original colonic EGG activity.