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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
07:33
A Mouse Model of Intestinal Partial Obstruction
Published on: March 5, 2018
Enterocyte ultrastructural alterations following intestinal obstruction in rats
Rubens Leite Junior1, Natalia Bernardes Mello, Lara de Paula Miranda Pereira
1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Acta Cirurgica Brasileira
|February 4, 2010
Summary
Mechanical intestinal obstruction with mesenteric ischemia causes reversible ultrastructural damage to the small intestine. The severity of enterocyte lesions depends on the obstruction
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
- Microscopic Anatomy
Background:
- Mechanical intestinal obstruction can compromise mucosal integrity.
- Ischemia of mesenteric vessels exacerbates intestinal injury.
- Understanding enterocyte ultrastructural changes is crucial for managing intestinal obstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze small intestinal mucosa ultrastructure.
- To characterize enterocyte lesion severity in mechanical intestinal obstruction with or without mesenteric ischemia.
Main Methods:
- Wistar rats were divided into control, sham, obstruction without marginal vessel (OEV), and obstruction with marginal vessel (OIV) groups.
- Tissue samples from proximal and distal segments were analyzed at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-operation.
- Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy were used for morphological and morphometric studies.
Main Results:
- No irreversible lesions were observed within 72 hours.
- Group OEV showed transient microvilli volume reduction proximally and distally.
- Group OIV exhibited initial microvilli swelling followed by severe shrinkage and flattening, particularly distally.
Conclusions:
- Terminal ileum obstruction with mesenteric ischemia results in reversible ultrastructural alterations.
- Injury severity correlates with the duration of the obstructive process.
- Mesenteric vessels are vital for maintaining mucosal integrity during obstruction.
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