Motility of the transplanted small bowel: a manometric study in the piglet.

Complete transection of sympathic and parasympathic nerves is an inevitable consequence of intestinal transplantation. The aim of this experiment was to study if extrinsic denervation alters the motor function of the graft. Ten large-white piglets were used. In Group 1 control (5 animals), a segment of distal ileum was isolated on its intact neurovascular pedicle as a Thirty-Vella loop. In Group 2 study (5 animals), a Thiry-Vella loop of distal ileum was transplanted as a free autograft. The motility of intestinal loops was studied by intraluminal pressure recording at the 8th and 15th postoperative days, on conscious animals fasted for 24 hours. The measured patterns were period (P), duration (D), maximal amplitude (A) and speed of migration (S) of phases III of migratory myoelectric complexes (MMCs). One hundred and seven MMCs were recorded and compared between Group 1 and Group 2. The results were as follows: mean (+/- sem) of Group 1 vs mean (+/- sem) of Group 2. P (min) = 68.5 (+/- 8.1) vs 54.2 (+/- 3.2)(NS); D (min) = 5.9 (+/- 0.2) vs 5.9 (+/- 0.1) (NS); A (cmH2O) = 73.9 (+/- 4.1) vs 83.4 (+/- 3.2) (NS); S (cm/min) = 5 (+/- 1.1) vs 6.2 (+/- 1) (NS). The motor function of the loops was studied following intraluminal perfusion of a cholinergic compound (carbachol) at doses of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mg. The mean and the maximal pressures were recorded during 3 minutes from the 2nd minute following injection of carbachol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

High-frequency ventilation in newborn lambs after intra-uterine creation of diaphragmatic hernia.

Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) die, because their lungs are hypoplastic and their pulmonary vascular resistance remains elevated after birth. In human newborns, it is difficult to appreciate the benefit of new therapeutic approaches, because the pathological findings are not uniform, the disease is rare and the clinical criteria for poor prognosis with conventional therapy are uncertain. To study the benefit of high-frequency ventilation (HFV) the use of Tolazoline in CDH, we created a diaphragmatic defect in sheep fetuses at 0.6 gestation and studied full-term newborns after a caesarian section. A sternotomy was performed to place catheters and flow probes on the aorta and pulmonary artery and to clamp the ductus arteriosus and the left pulmonary artery. Twins were used as control, and the CDH lambs were either ventilated with conventional ventilation (CV) or HFV. 23 ewes were operated upon with a 22% abortion rate and 31 newborn lambs (10 controls and 21 CDH) were studied. A complete gasometric and hemodynamic study was performed in 23 lambs (7 controls, 8 CDH with CV and 8 CDH with HFV). Clinical and pathological findings of the lambs with CDH were very similar to severe CDH in humans with bilateral lung hypoplasia, severe respiratory distress, high pulmonary vascular resistance and severe hypoxemia. HFV dramatically improved CO2 elimination, allowed less aggressive ventilation, and was associated with higher flows and lower systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. However, HFV did not improve oxygenation leaving the newborn with severe hypoxemia associated with massive intrapulmonary foramen ovale shunting from right to left.