POSTISCHEMIC INTESTINAL MOTILITY IN RAT IS INVERSELY CORRELATED TO LENGTH OF ISCHEMIA - AN IN-VIVO ANIMAL-MODEL

An inverse correlation between postischemic gastrointestinal motility and the length of intestinal ischemia was found in an animal model. In testinal ischemia was caused without concurrent laparotomy and for a p redetermined time period (ischemia time) by pulling on an external nyl on thread that was threaded through a double-lumen catheter. This cath eter was passed into the abdominal cavity to encircle the superior mes enteric artery. Gastrointestinal motility was determined by the introd uction of a color-marked meal into the animal's stomach and the measur ement of the proportionate length of the small bowel filled with it (t ransit index). This simple and reliable animal model can also be used for the evaluation of techniques and pharmacological manipulations aim ed at modulation of the effects of intestinal ischemia on intestinal m otility and its consequences.