MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Peristalsis

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Peristalsis

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names	Definition

Illustrations

Digestive system

Ileus - X-ray of distended bowel and stomach

Ileus - X-ray of bowel distension

Peristalsis

Alternative names Return to top

Intestinal motility

Definition Return to top

Peristalsis is a series of coordinated, rhythmic muscle contractions. It is an automatic and vital process that moves food through the digestive tract, urine from the kidneys through the ureters into the bladder, and bile from the gallbladder into the duodenum.

Peristalsis is a normal function of the body to move fluid from one place to another. It can sometimes be felt in the abdomen as gas moves along. Peristaltic waves look like the muscle contractions of a snake's underbelly that enable it to move along a surface.

Update Date: 4/17/2003

Updated by: Andrew J. Muir, M.D. M.H.S., Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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