J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 61(3): 437-452, 1960

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STUDY ON THE AUERBACH'S PLEXUS OF THE LARGE INTESTINES BY SUPRAVITAL STAINING

The morphologic study of the Auerbach's plexus is cats was made by supravitail staining with methylene blue. The difference of morphology and distribution was found in several regions of the colon, the physiological function of the Auerbach's plexus was studied through changes of modility of the colon by destructing the plexus, and the clinical study was performed on the plexus in the case of disturbed bowel movements.
1) In cats, the colon is divided into proximal and distal colons at Cannon's point and the mode of the Auerbach's plexus in morphology and staining is also divided into proximal and distal types at the same point. The main distribution of the pelvic nerve corresponds to those of distal type in the Auerbach's plexus.
These two types are different from each other embryologically and functionally and it is near to the splenic flexure in man.
2) The segmental structure of function corresponds to the distribution of these two types.
3) Abnormality of the Auerbach's plexus is not found by the supravital staining in the cecum and sigmoid in cases of chronic constipation. Aganglionic segment corresponds to the distal type of the plexus and fibres of the pelvic nerve is recognized in the rectume in cases of congenital megacolon. Only the distal type of the Auerbach's plexus is recognized in the dilated part of secondary megacolon.
(Author's abstract)

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