Chemically induced bowel denervation improves survival in short bowel syndrome

This study evaluates the effect of chemically induced bowel denervation on survival, weight gain or loss, transit time, and d-xylose absorption in rats following 80% small bowel resection. Forty-three male Sprague-Dawley rats (150 g) underwent 80% midsmall bowel resection and anastomosis. Twenty rats were short bowel controls (group I). In 23 rats (group II), a 2.0 cm segment of jejunum proximal to the anastomosis was denervated by application of 0.1% benzalkonium chloride (BK) for 30 minutes. Ten additional rats underwent sham laparotomy without bowel resection. Five remained untreated (group III) and in 5 (BK) denervation was added (group IV). Bowel denervation was confirmed by histologic study in all (BK) rats. Weight and daily food and water intake were measured for 30 days and the groups compared. Weight in group I was 43.8 +/- 52.9 g, group II 95.0 +/- 50.1, (P less than .005), group III 177 g, and group IV 175 g. Food intake was greater in group I than II (P less than .05) and was similar to groups III and IV. Water intake calculated as animal weight (g)/mL H2O ingested was lowest in group I (P less than .05). Mortality was 30% in group I (6/20) and only 8.6% in group II (2/23). No deaths were observed in unresected controls (III and IV). Twenty-four additional rats were evaluated for d-xylose absorption and transit time by bringing out a loop enterostomy 10.0 cm from the Ligament of Treitz. Twelve rats were ostomy controls (group V).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)