How Could We Direct the Body's Plumbing to Eliminate the Need for a Bladder?

[Another God]

Heres some pretty low tech transhumanistic thinking for you. I found the thought cross my mind last night of whether we could direct the bodies plumbing so that the bladder is removed, the bowels enlarged, and all fluid waste is directed straight into the Bowel.

This would grant us several advantages. A larger waste holder, so we need to 'go' less often, and when we do, it takes care of both. Plus it makes the rear end the waste disposal system, and the front end the entertainment area completely. No halvies.

It just seems a little more logical.

The problems with is which I can already see, are that there may be moisture seepage from the anus. I don't really know how watertight that is. Secondly, farting is obviously in existence for a reason. Gas builds up and makes u feel like you need to push something out. Since the liquid would rest in the bottom of the bowels, and the gas would fill up the bowels so that you feel like u need to go, i guess pushing the gas out would cause some leakage. Maybe this is the biggest problem and needs a real solution before such a change could be made to the human body.

Would anyone else think that such a change could be handy/practical?

 

[iansmith]

I don't think the natural microfloral of large intestine will like the urine.The other problem is that you would have to **** a lot when you drink a lot of alcohol.

The farting problem can be solve by inoculating babies with bacteria and other microorganism taht do not produces gaz. The problem is that everytime your treated with antibiotic, have gastro type infection, and the list goes on you mirobial floral changes.

The anus is thigh and i don't think water would leek out.

Anyway I think what we need is like the birds, the urethra is connect to the anus but only let goes of the urine when it has to.

 

[FZ+]

The problems with is which I can already see, are that there may be moisture seepage from the anus. I don't really know how watertight that is.

*Stifles immature snigger...

Actually, why not have biological nappies? Consider the way a dead skin layer builds up and we discard it regularly. Why not a flap of skin on your rear end that grows very quickly and can be detached and discarded when neccessary? It's much more convenient for our daily lives.

 

[Another God]

I think what grabs my attention with this idea is that it seems to reasonably feasible. I imagine that some relatively simply medical procedure could actually do this today. Not 100 years in the future like every other transhumanist idea out there, but today.

How hard is it for flesh to be cut, stitches to be stitched...even muscles to be implanted and removed. If we connected the urethra to the bowel like the bird example Ian, I'm sure a surgeon could attach muscles to the tube to close it and open it in accordance with other muscle triggers...

(In fact I was thinking about birds when this idea occurred to me too.)

 

[Istari]

I think what grabs my attention with this idea is that it seems to reasonably feasible.[Another God]

It is feasible but not yet practical nor would a good quality of life be achieved with today's medicine. There is so much to take into consideration I don't know where to start.

and all fluid waste is directed straight into the Bowel.AG

For one thing, the bowels wouldn't be able to be equipped with an amazing type of cell found only in the urinary tract: transitional epithelium. I'm not sure what the side-effect of not having that epithelium would be in the colon. Don't want to think about it now.

i'm sure a surgeon could attach muscles to the tube to close it and open it in accordance with other muscle triggers Another God

Artificial sphincters exist--and work.

Actually, why not have biological nappies? Consider the way a dead skin layer builds up and we discard it regularly. FZ+

Essentially this already happens in a small way. The cells lining the bladder do slough off, especially when bacteria are present.

Wish I could talk more, have to run.

-Istari

 

[Kerrie]

um...i have never really thought about it...

 

[Jikx]

hmm... got to say this, but your going to have one hell of a diarrhea attack

 

[kyle_soule]

The tightening of the muscles associated with the rectum and intestines could not be present, as all the fluids would be squeezed up into the holding area again, and this could lead to a backup of urine.

Also, the bowel movements would be very watery, and that would most likely cause uncomfort. It would also seem difficult to move the excrement down, lots of funny sounds

It's your idea, you should be the first to try it

 

[zimbo]

Diarrhoea = excess of fluid in the bowel commonly caused by malabsorbtion of fluid from the stool or excess secretion of fluid from the epithelium

Just imagine the effect of adding 2 L or so of fluid into the GI tract a day

Of course it may be possible to coax the intestinal epithelium to absorb all the excess fluid leaving the urinary waste products (urea etc) together with the faeces. Could be difficult to prevent passive reabsorbtion of waste product through the intestinal epithelium which is good for absorbtion . . . unlike the bladder's transitional epithelium.

The anal sphincter is rather amazing though - it is able to let the air through without letting any solid or liquid out . . . of course normally the sphincter doesn't have to do any work to stop stuff coming out because the sigmoid colon and rectum are usually empty and it is filling of that part that creates the urge to go.

 

[Another God]

HAHAHA, I keep forgetting that your a doctor Zimbo (to be)

OK then, so I am not overly surprised that it won't be as simple as redirecting the plumbing into the bowel and then letting it go from there. Some changes would need to be made. Maybe the whole bowel could be replaced with a nonabsorptive tissue. Maybe new bacteria wcould be engineered which deal with the new environment. If there is no problem with the farting water issue, then the only problem would be 'discomfort' of permanent Dioarhea, which I am chancing would quickly stop being a discomfort as it become the normal means of waste disposal.

 

[LURCH]

It seems to me that, if there is anything to the theory of evolution, this would be a step backward. Mammals are the most recent product of the natural selection process. According to Darwin, this should mean that we are the most advanced.

Members of other phyla (birds, reptiles, fish, etc.) have a cloaca, and mammals do not. I must therefore conclude that a bifurcated digestive tract is more efficient, although I do not know how or why.

 

[Another God]

I reserve my right, as the most advanced piece of the 4 dimensional bio-blob, to alter my body in which ever way i see fit to suit my purpose, needs, desires, and wishes. I don't care if evolution does think it got it right the first time.

 

[quantumdude]

You all need to get laid--and soon.

Yick!

 

[LURCH]

Ya know what? I think Tom's got it right. O.K., new plan everybody; cancel my appointment with the surgeon, and call the Escort service!

 

[Another God]

you're right tom, i do. but i don't see how that's relevant to the topic at hand [:p]

 

[Entropia]

<unidentified facial expression>

ok. umm..

1) i agree with tom
2) i think i like the bird idea. but more so, at least in this point in time, i will remain conservative with the preference of my excratory plumbing.

this reminds me of a joke...

three atheist engineers are sitting around a table sharing a meal. an electrical engineer, a mechanical engineer and a civil engineer. well, the electrical engineer says, "ya know, if god were to exist, i think god would be an electrical engineer. look at how the human body works. look at all of the electrical impulses that go on in the brain and what not. therefore, i like to think of god as an electical engineer." the mechanical engineer than replied with the following, "nah. if there is such a thing as god, then i think god would be a mechanical engineer. come on now. look at them ball and socket joints in the human body, and the propulsion of the weenus to give a few examples. clearly the work of a mechanical engineer."

the civil engineer said... "no way. if god were to exist, she would definitely be a civil engineer. who else would put a toxic drainage pipe through a recreational area."

 

[Another God]

I guess that means I'd get some more strange looks if I brought up my second idea RE bodily waste excretion?

Genetically engineer super methanogens, and create some sort of reasonable tasting yoghurt like substance that contained these methanogens. Whenever you go hiking or out bush or whatever, you eat this yoghurt beforehand, and line your system with methanogens. The aimed result being that you fart a lot, but don't need to take a dump for a week or two.

Its much more convenient than digging a hole at least...

 

[iansmith]

Yoghurt has waste! wow you either have too much alone time and you should consider Tom idea or your drug is really good.

Anyway, i took a food micro class and methanogen are not really good at producing yoghurt and 37C is a bit too low to produce yogurt. Also Methanogen produce methane which is a green house gaz. therefore it would help global warming. You could also engineer methanotrophes so they use the methane produce by the methanogen. It would reduce the farting.

I think I having too much alone time so i should consider Tom idea

 

[Another God]

If only it was as easy as 'considering' it... For some reasons Chicks just don't dig it when I talk about methanogens in your bowels causing you to fart more so that you need to go to the toilet less...

Stuffed if I'll ever understand women! [?]

 

[zimbo]

So let's see:

either we have periodic emptying of the bowels of solid, or nearly constant excretion of large volumes of gases . . . sure it's less inconvenient to go the farting route, but just imagine the smell! Unlike solid waste, you can't exactly flush gases down a drainpipe. Unless you connect the outflow to somekind of portable deodourising apparatus that gets rid of all the foul-smelling nitrogen compounds.

BTW does anyone know what's the 'active ingredient' that gives expelled gas its odour?

 

[iansmith]

Originally posted by zimbo
BTW does anyone know what's the 'active ingredient' that gives expelled gas its odour?

As far as I remember it is sulfur or sulfur containing compount. It is produce by sulfur bacteria if i remember correctly.