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Modeling and Simulation of Peristaltic Transport and Mixing in the Human Gastrointestinal Tract
Conference proceeding

Modeling and Simulation of Peristaltic Transport and Mixing in the Human Gastrointestinal Tract

Brian D Jeffrey and H. S Udaykumar
Advances in Bioengineering, pp.357-358
ASME 2002 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Nov. 17 - 22, 2002
01/01/2002
DOI: 10.1115/IMECE2002-32282

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Abstract

Despite active research, the mechanism by which food is transported, mixed and absorbed in the human gastro-intestinal tract remains poorly understood. At the University of Iowa Veterans Hospital, clinicians have been treating veterans for abnormal mechanical activity of the stomach and intestine and are pursuing research into such mechanisms, in order to better control and treat such ailments. The pathology experienced by these patients tends to be chronic and somewhat refractory to treatment particularly in the elderly, those with diabetes or after abdominal operations. Abnormal activity is responsible for gastro-esophageal reflux, gastroparesis, diarrhea, and abdominal pain syndromes. Current techniques of imaging and of image analysis should steadily improve ability to obtain information on mechanical activity of stomach and intestines in patients. Yet, for these imaging techniques to provide optimal diagnostic information, one needs to understand, in depth, how the visual parameters of contractions relate to digestion and absorption of nutrients.

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