ISSN:
1437-9813
Keywords:
Key words Small bowel
;
Transplantation
;
Graft length
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Progress has been made toward developing a clinically successful small-bowel transplant procedure, but there has been little research concerning the functional aspects of the transplanted small bowel. Using a rat model, our study examined the length of transplanted small bowel required to provide adequate weight gain. The rats were divided into six groups; groups 1 and 2 were considered controls. Group 1 (n = 6) underwent a gastrostomy. Group 2 (n = 3) underwent a jejunoile-ectomy followed by re-establishment of intestinal continuity and anastomosis of the native proximal small bowel to an abdominal stoma and the distal portion to the ascending colon. Groups 3 (n = 5), 4 (n = 4), 5 (n = 5), and 6 (n = 4) underwent small-bowel transplantation, receiving 100%, 50%, 25%, and 15% transplants, respectively. The donor small-bowel anastomoses were the same as the native small-bowel anastomoses in group 2. All of the rats began to produce stool within 4 days of becoming dependent upon the transplanted small bowel. By the end of postoperative week 4, there was no significant difference between the percentages of preoperative body weight in groups 1–4 (range 125.7%–130.0%). Although the weight gain in group 5 was significantly less than that in groups 1–4 (P 〈 0.05), it was adequate (111.8%); group 6 animals lost weight (94.7%). It is concluded that a 50% or more small-bowel transplant with or without an ileocecal valve provides ample weight gain; minimally adequate weight gain is achieved by a 25% transplant without an ileocecal valve; and the graft begins to function soon after transplantation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s003830050154
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