Bacterial translocation associated with short bowel: role of ileocecal valve and cecum

Sepsis in short bowel syndrome (SBS) is due in part to bacterial translocation (BT). Parenteral nutrition (PN) is often necessary in SBS and promotes BT. The presence of ileocecal valve (ICV) has been considered as a good prognostic factor in the outcome of this children. The aim of this study was to asses the effect of the presence or absence of ICV and cecum in five different models of gut resection in the rat. Fifty-five adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups: Group 1 (N = 14): standard rat chow + 80% small bowel resection. Group 2 (N = 10): standard rat chow + 80% small bowel resection including cecum. Group 3 (N = 10): standard rat chow + 80% small bowel resection including ICV. Group 4 (N = 11): NP + 80% small bowel resection. Group 5 (N = 10): NP + 80% small bowel resection including ICV and cecum. Ten days after surgery they were sacrificed and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), spleen and peripheral (PBL) and portal blood (POBL) specimens were recovered and cultured. Groups 3 (without ICV, with cecum) and 5 (without ICV, without cecum) showed 60% BT in MLN and POBL, and groups 1 and 4 (with ICV, without cecum) 93% and 91% respectively (p < 0.05). In PBL, group 3 (without ICV, with cecum) showed also less BT than groups 1 and 4 (10% vs 43% and 55% respectively, p < 0.05) and group 5 (without ICV and cecum) had less BT than groups 1, 2 and 4 (0% vs 43%, 30% and 55%, p < 0.01). In conclusion, these results suggest that the absence of ICV decreases BT and that the cecum does not seems to play a role on his.