[Histopathological changes in the small intestine after hypothermic preservation with University of Wisconsin and...

The objective of this study is to compare small bowel histopathologic alterations under hypothermic preservation with University of Wisconsin (UW) and Euro-Collins (EC) solutions.

In 40 Wistar rats (250-300g) the small bowel was microsurgically withdrawn and randomly treated with UW solution or EC solution. Periodic intestinal biopsies were taken from the proximal jejunum and distal ileum each 8 hours after small bowel withdrawing (time 0) until 48 hours. The histopathologic alterations were semiquantitatively classified in 4 degrees of severity and the obtained results were analysed statistically by appropriated tests (p < 0.05).

There was a significant increase of the small bowel ischaemic lesions over the time for both experimental groups. The lesions frequency and severity were significantly more increased in the EC group than in the UW group, for jejunal segments at 8 hours, in jejunal and ileal segments at 24 and in jejunal and ileal segments at 48 hours.

The UW solution did not avoid the development of small bowel ischaemic lesions but, with time, it protected better jejunal and ileal segments, decreasing frequency and severity of histopathological alterations, when compared to EC solution.