Date of Award

1986

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

Abstract

During the past decade, the opossum has been used as a major experimental preparation for studying sphincter of Oddi (SO) pressure and flow activity. However, a rigorous analysis of SO kinetics had not been undertaken. Manometric study has shown that omnipresent peristaltic waves propagate cauded in the SO segment. This phenomenon makes analysis of the entire segment difficult. Previous experiments have also shown that a nozzle-shaped high-pressure zone exists in the distal four to five millimeters of the SO segment. The high pressure in this nozzle region suggests a high resistance to flow. Therefore, the aim of this study is to apply the laws of fluid dynamics in an analysis of the pressure-flow kinetics of the opossum SO nozzle and compare these theoretical predictions with experimental findings.

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