BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF PROSTAGLANDIN E-1 ON ISCHEMIC COLITIS FOLLOWINGSURGERY ON THE ABDOMINAL-AORTA

To determine the effects of prostaglandin E-1 (PGE(1)) on the intestin al circulation, an experimental dog model of ischemic colitis followin g abdominal aortic reconstruction,vas made by ligating the inferior me senteric artery (IMA) and the internal iliac artery, with the creation of a 50% stenosis in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). The parame ters of enteric ischemia included the blood flow of the SMA, the tissu e blood flow in the small intestine and left colon, the mean stump pre ssure of the IMA (IMAP), and the IMAP/mean systemic blood pressure rat io. With the continuous infusion of 10 ng/kg per minute of PGE(1) into the descending thoracic aorta, these values increased significantly o n the seventh postoperative day compared with those on the day of oper ation. These results thus suggest that the continuous intraarterial in fusion of PGE(1) may reduce ischemic changes in the colon following ab dominal aortic reconstruction.