Effects of two methods of reconstruction of digestive tract after total gastrectomy on gastrointestinal motility in rats

AIM: To compare the effects of Roux-en-Y and jejunum interposition reconstruction procedures after total gastrectomy on intestinal motility. METHODS: Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the control group (C), the laparotomy group (L), the jejunal transection group (JT) where the jejunum was transected 10 cm distal from the Treitz ligament and anastomosed, the Roux-en-Y group (RY) and the jejunal interposition group (JI) after total gastrectomy. To evaluate intestinal transit, the animals were given 0.1 ml Evans Blue solution through an orogastric tube. The rats were executed by CO(2) inhalation 30 minutes later and the intestinal transmit was determined as the distance between the site of esophageojejunal anastomosis and the most distal site of small intestine colored with blue. RESULTS: One month after operation, the body weight of rats among JI and RY were almost identical (274.6+/-9.5 vs 270.4+/-10.6, P>0.05), but were significantly lighter than those of JT and L group. Four months after the operation, the body weight in the JI group increased compared to the preoperative level (345.2+/-15.7 g vs 299.5+/-8.3 g, P<0.01). However, the body weight of RY group decreased compared to preoperative (255.1+/-11.3 g vs 295.0+/-12.0 g, P<0.01). The difference was more significant at six months postoperative. Small bowel transmit time in RY was slower than that in JI group and C group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Changes of body weight and intestinal motility in JI group are less influenced than in RY group.