THE EFFECT OF INGESTED TOPICAL ANESTHETIC ON THE GASTRIC EMPTYING

As one of the analyses of gastric emptying mechanism, clinical observa tions and experimental observations using dogs and rats have been performed. The inucosa of the pyloric area was topically anesthetized by ingestion of 4% Lidocaine through naso-gastric tube under the right recumbent position. X-ray contrast medium was ingested into the stomach through the tube five minutes later.(1) Topical anesthesia accelerated the emptying of the gastric content under the above described condition.(2) The movement of gastric content to the duodenum was continuous without periodicity. In controls, without topical anesthetic, the movement was periodic and rhythmical.(3) Concerning the mechanism of gastric emptying, it is suggested that a pressure stimulation above a certain level to the pyloric area induces the movement of the content to the duodenum. The topical anesthesia of this area looses the control of this mechanism.(4) A possible clinical application of this method, for example, as a treatment in the cases of antrospasm or pylorospasim is suggested.