27 research outputs found
Experimental pain in the stomach: a model based on electrical stimulation guided by gastroscopy
Background—Abdominal pain is often variable in
intensity and difficult to characterise due to its referred pain
pattern. Clinical pain is furthermore confounded by various emotional
and cognitive factors. 
Aims—To develop and apply an experimental model
to induce localised gastric pain. 
Subjects—Twelve healthy male volunteers. 
Methods—Stimulating electrodes were mounted on a
biopsy forceps and electric stimuli were delivered during gastroscopy.
Single, five repeated, and continuous stimuli were given at four
locations in the stomach. Pain detection thresholds and pain
intensities were assessed together with localisation of the referred
pain area. 
Results—Pain detection thresholds were higher in
the prepyloric region compared with those obtained at the lesser and
greater curvature. Increasing stimulus intensity resulted in augmented pain perception and repeated stimuli elicited pain at a lower stimulus
intensity than single stimuli. Continuous stimuli evoked constant
(33%), increasing (33%), or decreasing (33%) pain. The localisation
of referred pain varied considerably in the subjects. 
Conclusions—The model seems relevant to study
basic pain mechanisms elicited by localised stimuli in the stomach. The
experimental data support the premise that a gastric focus should
always be suspected in patients referred with different kinds of
abdominal pain.