Intestinal muscular layer ablation in extensive small bowel resection: An experimental study using cats

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine if intestinal valves through seromuscular ablation can retard intestinal transit time, improve absorption and nutrition in short-bowel syndromes with very short small-bowel remnant METHODS: Six domestic cats were assigned for the experimental and control groups. Pre-operative and post-operative determination of weight, character of stools, transmit time, and TPAG were done. All the cats underwent 80 percent resection of the small bowel. An intestinal valve through seromuscular ablation was made proximal to the anastomosis for the experimental group. Comparison of weight, character of stools, transmit time, and TPAG between the two groups were done post-operatively. T-test was used for statistical analysis with alpha 0.05 for level of significance RESULTS: All the cats in the experimental group survived, however, there were 4 mortalities noted in the control group. The average preoperative transit times were 209 minutes and 216 minutes for the control and experimental groups respectively. There was a significant decrease in TPAG post-operatively for the control CONCLUSION: Intestinal valves through seromuscular ablation can retard intestinal transmit time, improve absorption and nutrition in very short small-bowel remnant. (Author)