Abstracts
2000 Digestive Disease Week

# 2322 Effect of Isografting of the Middle 50% of the Small Intestine on Luminal Transit.
Gordon L. Telford, Susan Walgenbach-Telford, Gail Hilton, Hahn Pham, Walter J. Mariah, Christopher P. Johnson, Milwaukee, WI

We have previously demonstrated that transplantation of the distal 50% of the small intestine resulted in decreased luminal transit of solids, while transplantation of the proximal 50% resulted in normal transit. Proximal transplants have the disadvantage of vitamin B-12 and bile acid malabsorption, while decreases in transit in distal transplants can result in bacterial overgrowth. The purpose of this study was to determine if transplantation of the middle 50% of the small intestine (mid-gut) would have improved transit over distal transplants. Ten groups of Lewis rats were studied: SHAM MID (n=8) sham, transit measured through the middle 50% of jejunoileum, SHAM DIST (n=6) sham, transit measured through the distal 50% of jejunoileum, TXP MID (n=9) enterectomy and transplantation of middle 50% of jejunoileum, TXP DIST (n=13) enterectomy and transplantation of distal 50% of jejunoileum, RES MID (n=8) resection of proximal and distal 25% of intestine leaving same anastomoses and length as TXP MID, RES DIST (n=7) resection of proximal 50% of intestine with distal transection leaving same anastomoses and length as TXP DIST, DEN MID (n=8) same resection as RES MID plus denervation, DEN DIST (n=6) same resection and anastomoses as RES DIST plus denervation, ISCH MID (n=7) same resection and anastomoses as RES MID plus 25 min of cold ischemia, and ISCH DIST (n=6) same as resection as RES DIST plus 25 min of cold ischemia. Transit was measured 3 months after preparation. Eighty, 1mm amberlite beads were injected into the proximal portion of the study segment and the geometric center of the distance traveled in 35 minutes determined. Mid-gut luminal transit was not significantly different from distal (see table below). We conclude that there is no improvement in luminal transit with transplantation of mid-gut segments. There is no advantage to transplanting mid small intestinal segments over distal segments. Supported by VA Medical Research Funds.