[Enteral resection in the nursing rabbit (an experimental study)]

The response to enteral resection in human newborns and nursing babies depends on the site and magnitude of the resection: usually these patients have a satisfactory recovery although long term supportive measures are required in order to prevent nutritional and digestive complications. This study assessed the post-surgical response of six groups of nursing rabbits with 0, 40, 50, 60, 75 and 90% selective resection of the small intestine. A greater number of surgical complications was observed in those cases with more manipulation and greater resection. Villi hypertrophic was found at the distal extremes of the enteral remnants only with 40% jejunal resection and 75 and 90% jejunum-ileum resections. None of the groups showed growth interruption. Only in rabbits with resections greater than 60% a significant decrease in weight was found. Forty and sixty percent enteral resections, mainly proximal and distal respectively, did not yield weight or length deficits as compared with the control group.