Use of ultrasound to detect intestinal wall ischemia in piglets

To evaluate the use of ultrasound (US) to detect intestinal wall ischemia, we isolated segments of jejunum on single vascular pedicles in five piglets. We sequentially clamped these segments in intervals of 0 to 6 h, reperfused them for 24 h, and then examined them in vitro histologically and with an 8.5 MHz US scan. All segments were grossly viable except those with 6 h of ischemia. Histologically, mild submucosal edema developed after 1 to 2 h of ischemia; after 3 to 4 h, mucosal necrosis, loss of folds, worsening submucosal edema, and prominent neutrophilic infiltration occurred; after 5 to 6 h, severe mucosal necrosis with hemorrhage and submucosal edema was present. Ultrasonically, we saw five wall layers in the control group corresponding to mucosa, submucosa, muscularis propria, and subserosal fat. After mild (1 to 2 h) ischemia, all layers were present except for a discontinuity in layer 3. After moderate (3 to 4 h) ischemia, the five layers persisted but with a markedly thickened submucosal layer, reduced echogenicity, and flattened mucosal folds. With severe (5 to 6 h) ischemia, we observed a loss of all normal layers with no discernible architecture. Using these US criteria, blinded observers were able to differentiate normal/mild from moderate/severe ischemia with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. These data suggest that US can differentiate, in vitro, normal from moderate and severe degrees of intestinal wall ischemia that correlates well with the histological appearance. Endoscopic US or surgically implantable US probes can potentially help diagnose clinical intestinal wall ischemia.