ABSTRACT
Induction of some sort of obstruction could be resorted to as a definitive line of management of some cases of short- bowel syndrome [SBS]. The goal of this study was to clarify the histological and morphometric alterations in the albino rat ileum after its surgically induced partial obstruction. Thirty adult male albino rats [240-250 gm] were used in this investigation. They were divided into two equal groups: control and experimental. Small pieces of the ileum of the control and experimental animals were processed for histological and scanning electron microscope study. The ileum of the experimental animals proximal to the site of obstruction showed an apparent enlargement in the Peyer's patches and an increase in the thickness of both the mucosa and muscle layers. The villi showed significant elongation and thickening. Both widening and deepening of the crypts were detected. There were an apparent increment in the goblet cell number and in the lymphocytic infiltration in both the corium and submucosa. Scanning electron microscopic examination, the microvilli showed scattered areas of shortening and irregular orientation. The surface was more frequently broken by goblet cell orifices. It could be concluded that partial ileal obstruction resulted in hypertrophy of the ileal wall with considerable structural alterations oral to the obstruction site. Thus, a procedure apparently increased the absorptive surface area together with slowing the intestinal transit. These effects could support putting forward this technique into consideration as one of the suggested lines of treatment of some cases of short bowel syndrome to eliminate the patients need for the parenteral nutrition and all its associated complications