Introduction: Visceral manipulations are widely used among osteopaths, although knowledge regarding the absolute physiological effects has not been clearly established. In this study we evaluated the physiological changes after a manual intervention of a visceral structure in the abdominal cavity: more precisely, we studied the effect of a mobilization of the mesentery on the capacity of the portal vein.

3 / 16, and velocity: 2 / 16).Both groups contained patients in whom patterns of motor abnormalities were comparable, and suggestive of a neuropathological process: ASTC: 4 normal, 3 (43%) abnormal; ISTC: 6 normal,3 (33%) abnormal.A generalised pattern of colonic transit delay and coexistent abnormalities of rectal sensorimotor function were frequent.Conclusions: Upper gastrointestinal and pan-colonic motility disturbances do exist in patients whose symptoms of intractable constipation were acquired following pelvic surgery or childbirth.Whether this effect is reflex mediated (e.g.recto-intestinal) cannot be answered by this study.