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Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Orthotopic Small Bowel Transplantation in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2012
An experimental swine model of small bowel cross transplantation
A Sommariva1, R Behboo, C Ruffolo
1Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. sommarivamd@interfree.it
Aim:
In this study we evaluated the possibility of performing a cross small bowel transplantation (CrSBTx) in which, at the same time, 2 pigs were both donors and later recipients of intestinal grafts. The hemodynamic and metabolic impact of this original transplantation model on the animals was determined.
Methods:
Ten large White adult female pigs underwent a 2 stage procedure. The principal intraoperative hemodynamic and metabolic parameters were measured at different times during the operation. In the 3 days that followed the operation, renal function, liver and pancreatic damage were investigated.
Results:
Our surgical model permits us to keep excellent hemodynamic and metabolic stability with low mortality.
Conclusion:
The need of half of animals with respect to conventional models represents an ethical and economic advantage of CrSBTx and we propose it for intestinal transplant studies in large animals.
