Small bowel motility from electroenterogram spectral analysis

The authors´ goal is to define a motility index (MI) which represents the mechanical activity of the small bowel. This MI is obtained from the myoelectrical activity of the intestinal muscle layer (electroenterogram), instead of the classical and problematical pressure recordings. New MIs are calculated from spectral analysis of the electroenterogram and correlated with the number of contractions per minute, which is a normal MI. The mean frequency and the energy over 2 Hz, calculated from unmodified periodogram of the electroenterogram, are highly correlated with classical MI. Furthermore, both represent intensity unlike the number of contractions