title: [Air in the small intestine in adults: results of a study in a control group of 827 subjects (author's transl)].
abstract: Fairly small amounts of air (usually one loop visible) were found in the small intestine of 41,2 plus or minus 3,4 p. cent (at the 95 p. cent confidence level) of a series of 827 adults (553 inpatients and 274 outpatients). Air in the small intestine was noted more frequently in the hospitalized patients (45,2 plus or minus 4,1 p. cent) than in the outpatients (33,2 plus or minus 5,6 p. cent) (p. less than 0,001). This study confirms the hypothesis, contrary to conventional data, that the presence of air in the small intestine occurs sufficiently frequently for it not to be considered pathological. Air is more frequently visible in the proximal jejunum (48,4 p. cent) than in the ileum (27,3 p. cent), and is noted in the umbilical region, the transition zone, in 24,3 p. cent of cases. The mean diameter of th proximal jejunal loops is 25,6 mm (standard deviation 3,7 mm). The thickness of the proximal jejunal folds varies between 1 and 2 mm, the interfold thickness being 3 to 6 mm. The thickness of the small intestine wall (measured in the interfold space) is less than 1,5 mm. These figures relate to direct measurement of radiographic images, without correction due to enlargement.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography
vernacular_title: L'air dans le grêle chez l'adulte. Résultats sur un groupe témoin de 827 sujets.