The effects of methylprednisolone on postoperative bowel motility and propulsion in dogs

Eighteen mongrel dogs underwent handsewn right segmental colectomy. One group was pretreated with methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg intravenously at the time of surgery and 7.5 mg/kg intravenously at 6-hour intervals for 24 hours; the second group served as a saline control. Motility was measured postoperatively by manometric catheters, and propulsion was measured by x-ray evidence of passage of radiopaque markers. Marker studies showed more rapid passage in animals pretreated with steroids, but differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.11). Motility studies showed a significant overall increase in motility in steroid-treated animals on the first postoperative day (P = 0.03); smaller differences on the second or third days were not significant. Motility studies comparing ileum, cecum, and sigmoid showed the ileum to be the site of significant steroid effect (P = 0.02), with insignificant benefit seen in the colon. The data suggest that methylprednisolone may be of some objective benefit in restoration of postoperative bowel motility, and the site of action may be in the small bowel and not at the anastomosis.