AN ANIMAL-EXPERIMENT ON SHORT GUT LENGTHENING

Objective To investigate the anatomical and histological changes of th e lengthened Rut by a special intraluminal tubular expander on the bas is of the theory oi ''tension-stress''. Methods Nineteen New Zealand w hite rabbits were used. A 5 cm segment of the terminal ileum with a pe dicle was put underneath the abdominal wall, with its proximal end clo sed and its distal end exteriorized as a aroma. One week later, as til e wound healed well, an expander made oi a small rubber tube was inser ted into the short gut loop through the stoma. Three milliliters oi wa ter was injected as an initial dose. Then 0.5 mi water as an increment was injected subsequently every 12 hours until the total amount of wa ter reached 15 mi and kept stable for two weeks. Results Anatomically, the length and the capacity oi the intestinal loop were recorded, alt er 15 mi expanding, as an average of 150% lengthening of the original and an average of 293% expansion. Two weeks after the removal oi the e xpander, partial shrinking was observed. A stable lengthening had 123% of the original length, while the capacity reduced to 200% oi the ori ginal one. Histologically, there was no remarkable changes oi the muco sa or submucosa. But significant hypertrophy of the musculature and se rosa laver was observed. The total thickness oi the musculatures was 6 18% of the normal control's. Ultrastructurally, there were enlargement of the smooth muscle cells, increase in number and size of the mitoch ondria in the cytoplasm and widening oi the intercellular space. Concl usion A short gut can be lengthened by a tubular expander following th e rule oi gradual tension and stress.