Complications of intestinal milking: experimental model

Intestinal milking is a frequently used method in abdominal surgery for various purposes; although it is frequently used for eliminating distension, moving faeces, bezoar or other foreign objects proximal or distal, there are no experimental or prospective studies in the surgical literature with respect to complications of the method. The purpose of the present study was to investigate complications of the milking process in an experimental model.

Forty-four outbred, 8-month old Wistar albino male rats with weights ranging between 195 and 225 g were used. Four rats were used for preliminary study. The other 40 rats were divided into two equal groups. In the study group (n = 20), a plastic sphere, 3 mm in diameter was sent to the stomach via oro-gastric tubes. This sphere was then moved into the cecum by milking. In the control group rats (n = 20) the small intestines were manipulated at 1-cm intervals but milking was not performed.

In the study group six rats (30%) developed grade 1, 11 rats (55%) developed grade 2, and three rats (15%) developed grade 3 peritoneal adhesion. In the control group, 18 rats (90%) had no adhesions and only two rats (10%) developed grade 1 adhesion (chi(2) = 34, P < 0.0001). In the study group, four rats (20%) had small bowel obstruction, whereas no rats in the control group developed small bowel obstruction (Fisher's P > 0.05). Peritoneal smear culture was positive in 11 rats (55%) in the study group, whereas it was positive in two rats (10%) in the control group (Fisher's P < 0.01).

Intestinal milking is a process that can cause severe peritoneal adhesions and peritoneal contamination, which may lead to small bowel obstruction. Avoiding milking to the extent possible in eliminating distension intraluminal material that may cause obstruction, and preferring alternative methods is important for reducing postoperative morbidity.