The direct potential of the intestinal wall. Its change in ischemia and revascularization. An experimental study in...

The DC otential between the jejunal mucosa and the skin of the tail's root was measured in 29 rats. In twenty animals the superior mesenteric artery was clamped during up to VBJ minutes and recording of the DC potential was performed before vascular obstruction, during the period of ischaemia, and after revascularization was resumed when the clamp was removed. Prolonged ischaemia of the jejunum led to increasing reduction of the DC potential but recovery occurred about 75% of the rats when revascularization was established. The remaining 25% did not recover from vascular occlusion due to thrombosis or mechanical damage to the arterial wall. After removal of the elctrodes from the former group functional recovery of the intestinal function occurred in all the animals in which the removal was successful and no perforation of the intestinal wall was produced. Measuring transmural potential may be a convenient method to assess the viability of an infarcted intestine, thus aiding in selecting the appropriate therapeutic measures and in prognostic evaluation.