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Updated: May 28, 2026
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Orthotopic Small Bowel Transplantation in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2012
Small bowel transplantation in outbred rats
Daniel Reis Waisberg1, André Dong Wong Lee, Rafael Miyashiro Nunes dos Santos
1FMUSP, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Acta Cirurgica Brasileira
|November 2, 2011
Summary
Orthotopic small bowel transplantation in rats without immunosuppression shows variable outcomes. Most rats experienced technical failure or rejection, but a small percentage survived long-term without rejection.
Area of Science:
- Surgical innovation
- Transplantation research
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Small bowel transplantation is a complex procedure.
- Immunosuppression is typically required to prevent graft rejection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical evolution of orthotopic small bowel transplantation in outbred rats.
- To assess the feasibility and outcomes of this procedure without immunosuppression.
Main Methods:
- 36 orthotopic small intestine transplantations were performed in Wistar rats without immunosuppression.
- Microvascular anastomosis techniques were utilized for graft implantation.
- Procedure duration, clinical course, survival, and histopathology were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Median procedure time was 107 minutes.
- Technical failure occurred in 16.7% of recipients.
- Graft rejection led to sacrifice in 74.9% of rats, with acute cellular rejection confirmed histologically.
- 8.3% of recipients survived uneventfully for over 120 days without rejection.
Conclusions:
- Orthotopic small bowel transplantation in rats without immunosuppression results in variable clinical outcomes.
- Graft rejection is a significant challenge, but long-term survival without immunosuppression is possible in a subset of recipients.
