Effects of subtotal colectomy on bacterial translocation during experimental acute pancreatitis

The colon is considered a major source of bacteria causing infection of pancreatic necrosis in acute pancreatitis (AP). Subtotal colectomy before AP in rats reduces mortality, but its role in affecting small bowel flora, bacterial translocation, and infection of pancreatic necrosis is unknown. Our aim was to study these phenomena in rats with AP.

Fifty rats, allocated in 4 groups, underwent 2 laparotomies: group 1, sham laparotomy and saline biliopancreatic duct infusion; group 2, subtotal colectomy and saline infusion; group 3, sham laparotomy and AP (ductal infusion of glycodeoxycholic acid and intravenous cerulein); group 4, subtotal colectomy and AP. Seventy-two hours later, samples were collected for microbiological analysis.

Subtotal colectomy caused small bowel bacterial overgrowth with gram-positive cocci (group 1 versus group 2, duodenum: P = 0.030, ileum: P = 0.029). Bacterial counts of gram-negative rods/anaerobes in the duodenum and ileum and pancreatic bacterial counts of rats with colectomy and AP were significantly higher than in rats with AP only (group 3 versus group 4, duodenum: P = 0.040, ileum: P = 0.029, pancreas: P = 0.017). Duodenal bacterial overgrowth and pancreatic infection correlate significantly (r = 0.45, P = 0.004).

Subtotal colectomy induces small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which is associated with increased bacterial translocation to the pancreas.