Pressure studies of the ileocecal sphincter after small bowel resection in rabbits

The function of the ileocecal sphincter (ICS) in rabbits was investigated after extensive small bowel resection. The reflux pressure in anterograde (P1) and retrograde (P2) direction was measured before, 7 days after, and 1 year after small bowel resection, nd compared with a group of rabbits in which a bypass-operation of the same length of the small bowel had been performed. After 7 days, both P1 and P2 showed a marked decrease in the resection group. One year after the operation, pressures had increased again but were still lower than before the resection. Significantly minor pressure changes were found 7 days after bypass surgery. We consider that ICS-insufficiency can be one cause of the features of short bowel syndrome.