Synchronous ileal autotransplantation impairs adaptation of remaining gut in pigs with proximal small bowel resection

This study investigates the effects of ileal autotransplantation on morphol ogy, crypt cell proliferation, and brush border disaccharidases of the rema ining jejunoileum and colon in growing pigs with 75% proximal small bowel r esection. Resection was performed on 30 pigs, of which 15 underwent an auto transplantation of the remaining ileum. The autotransplanted pigs showed re duced weight gain and remnant ileal length when compared to the resected co ntrols. In the autotransplanted pigs, small bowel diameter and weight, muco sal weight and protein content, villus height and surface area, crypt depth , and the number of proliferating crypt cells were reduced similarly both i n the intact jejunum and in the autotransplanted ileal remnant. Autotranspl antation also decreased the number of proliferative crypt cells of the colo n. Specific activities of maltase and sucrase tended to increase in the aut otransplanted ileal remnant, whereas the total enzyme activities decreased. These results suggest that ileal autotransplantation disturbs postresectio nal adaptation of the remaining gut.