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Updated: Sep 25, 2026
Orthotopic Small Bowel Transplantation in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2012
[Incidence of bacterial translocation in four different models of experimental short bowel syndrome]
A B Asensio1, N García-Urkia, P Aldazabal
1Unidad Experimental, Complejo Hospitalario Donostia, San Sebastián.
Insights
Gut resection significantly increases bacterial translocation (BT), a major risk in short bowel syndrome patients. Preserving the ileocecal valve (ICV) and including the cecum in resections can reduce BT incidence, even with oral feeding or total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Surgical Research
- Microbiology and Immunology
Background:
- Short bowel syndrome (SBS) patients face high mortality due to gram-negative sepsis, often linked to bacterial translocation (BT).
- Factors like intestinal dismotility, bacterial overgrowth, and parenteral nutrition contribute to BT post-gut resection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of bacterial translocation (BT) following four distinct types of gut resection.
- To compare BT rates in animals receiving oral feeding versus total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
Main Methods:
- 103 Wistar rats underwent varied small bowel resections (0-90%) with or without the ileocecal valve (ICV) and cecum.
- Groups were fed orally or received TPN, with controls including non-manipulated and non-resected TPN-fed animals.
- Bacterial translocation was assessed by culturing mesenteric lymph nodes and blood samples post-10 days.
Main Results:
- Gut resection dramatically increased BT incidence (93%) compared to controls (8%).
- Oral feeding with ICV preservation reduced BT (60%) versus resection without ICV (91%).
- TPN-fed resected rats showed reduced BT (60%) when the ICV and cecum were included in the resection.
Conclusions:
- Gut resection is a significant risk factor for bacterial translocation, irrespective of feeding method.
- Preserving the ileocecal valve (ICV) and including the cecum in resection can mitigate BT.
- Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) alone, even without resection, is associated with a notable incidence of BT.
Unlabelled:
The outcome of patients with short bowel syndrome is influenced for factors such as the length of remnant intestine or the presence or absence of ileocecal valve (ICV). Gram-negative sepsis, the main cause of mortality in this group of children, is probably due to bacterial translocation (BT), because after gut resection there are a number of circumstances that favour its occurrence, being the most known intestinal dismotility, bacterial overgrowth, loss of gut-associated lymphoid tissue, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and fasting related mucosal atrophy. The aim of this experimental controlled study was to test the incidence of BT after four different types of gut resection, in animals fed orally or receiving TPN. Hundred and three adult Wistar rats bred and raised in our facilities according to European Union Regulations were randomly divided in six groups:--Group 1 (n = 26): non-manipulated animals, served as a control.--Group 2 (n = 14): 80% non-lethal small bowel resection, fed orally.--Group 3 (n = 15): same resection as group 2 but including ICV. Rat chow ad libitum.--Group 4 (n = 27): non-resected fasting animals receiving all-in-one TPN solution.--Group 5 (n = 11): same resection as group 2, but fasting and receiving TPN--Group 6 (n = 10): 90% small bowel resection, including cecum and ICV, fasting and TPN. The animals were maintained for 10 days in individual metabolic cages, and, at the end of the experiment, were bled by portal and cardiac puncture. Mesenteric lymph nodes, peripheral and portal blood samples were cultured for BT. Non-manipulated rats (group 1) had lower BT incidence (8%) than resected ones (groups 2, 3, 5 and 6, 93%, 60%, 91%, 60%, p < 0.05) or animals non-resected, receiving TPN (group 4.51%, p < 0.05). When resection included ICV in orally fed rats BT index was also lower (group 3 vs group 2.60% vs 91%, p < 0.05). In TPN resected animals a drop was also found in BT when ICV and cecum were added to small bowel resection (group 6 vs group 5.60% vs 91%, p < 0.05).
In Conclusion:
1. Gut resection is associated to a high degree of BT, even if the animals are fed orally. 2. Resection including ICV, produced less BT. 3. TPN-related BT was shown in half of the animals non resected. 4. TPN-resected rats had also less BT when ICV and cecum were removed.
