Blood flow in experimental short bowel syndrome

Mechanisms of intestinal adaptation after major loss of small bowel have been studied extensively but little attention has been paid to related changes in blood flow. In 1972, Touloukian and Spencer were the first to study intestinal blood flow after 50% midintestinal resection in rats [16]. In the present study an 80% midintestinal resection was performed in rats (n = 54). Blood flows to the jejunal and ileal remnants, the anastomosis, and the cecum and colon were measured with the radioactive microsphere method on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 28 after surgery. Results were compared with blood flow estimates after jejunal or ileal tranection (n = 48) and with normal controls (n = 9). The results showed that the operative stress of intestinal transection is followed by a brief increase in intestinal blood flow. After 80% small-bowel resection, intestinal blood flow remains more significantly elevated for at least 3 days. Blood flow to the ileal remnant remains elevated for at least 4 weeks after surgery. The mechanisms responsible for the increase in blood flow remain to be defined.Offprint requests to: M. E. Höllwarth