Elevated intraluminal pressure alters rabbit small intestinal transport in vivo

The effect of acutely increased intraluminal hydrostatic pressure (IHP) on rabbit jejunal, ileal, and colonic water and electrolyte transport was determined in vivo in a distended test segment and adjacent control segment using a perfusion system with [14C]polyethylene glycol as a nonabsorbable marker. Test-segment IHP was increased by raising the efflux catheter to produce 10-70 cm water IHP, while control-segment IHP was held constant at 0 cm water. Acutely increased IHP up to 40 cm water in the jejunum and up to 30 cm water in the ileum caused decreased net absorption in the jejunum and net secretion in the ileum but caused no significant change in control-segment transport. This indicated that IHP-induced changes in transport were mediated by local rather than systemic effects. The IHP-induced secretory process was dependent on the magnitude of elevation in IHP and reversible at less than or equal to 20 cm water in the ileum. An IHP of 30 cm water was associated with nonreversible transport changes in the ileum. Acutely increased IHP to 70 cm water did not significantly alter colonic transport. This experimental model is suitable for a comprehensive investigation of the mechanism of IHP-induced changes in small intestinal transport.