Acceleration of small bowel transit in a canine hypermotility model with intestinal electrical stimulation

Few studies have been performed on the effect of intestinal electrical stimulation (IES) on intestinal dysmotility. This study aimed to investigate the small intestine transit (SIT) in a canine model of intestinal hypermotility when applying IES.

Six hound bitches were surgically prepared with two chronic intestinal fistulas, intestinal serosal electrodes of which the proximal pair was used for serosal IES. Pacing wires were attached to a manometric catheter for mucosal IES. A nitrogen oxide synthase inhibitor, Nω-nitro-L-arginine (LNNA) was used to induce intestinal motility. SIT was measured during IES. The study consisted of four randomized sessions: session 1 (LNNA), session 2 (LNNA plus serosal IES), session 3 (LNNA plus mucosal IES) and session 4 (control).

The intestine transit was slowed down from 31.7 ± 6.1 min in the control session to 49.0 ± 6.2 min after using LNNA (P = 0.003). Both mucosal and serosal IES accelerated SIT compared with the LNNA session. The SIT time was reduced to 17.7 ± 3.4 min in the mucosal IES session (P = 0.006 vs. LNNA) and 27.5 ± 6.3 min in the serosal IES session (P = 0.020 vs. LNNA). No difference was noted in the SIT time between mucosal and serosal IES (P = 0.128).

IES significantly accelerates delayed SIT in a hypermotility model and intraluminal stimulation is as effective as a serosal one for IES, suggesting that IES may have a therapeutic potential for improving intestinal motility.