[Vitamin A effects on morphometric adaptation after extensive small bowel resection in the rat]

This work was conceived to study, in the rat short bowel syndrome, the effect of precocious administration of retinoic acid on morphometric adaptation in the remnant intestine. Mitotic index, villous height, crypt depth and mucosal aspect were determined in 2 groups of rats (n=12) after 60% small bowel resection. 100 microg of retinoic acid were perfused immediately after resection in the first group. Control group rats received placebo. Two similar groups (n=12) underwent intestinal transection with or without retinoic acid perfusion. Our results show that retinoic acid induced precocious and significant enhancement of all morphometric parameters when compared to placebo.