CONTRASTING EFFECTS OF IDENTICAL NUTRIENTS GIVEN PARENTERALLY OR ENTERALLY AFTER 70-PERCENT HEPATECTOMY - BACTERIAL TRANSLOCATION

High mortality occurs in rats with 70% hepatectomy fed intravenous (IV ) total parenteral nutrition (TPN; 13.9% glucose, 4.17% amino acids, 1 .46% fat, electrolytes, trace minerals, and vitamins providing 216 kca l.kg(-1).d(-1)) but not when the identical nutrients are given at the same rate enterally (gastrostomy). We hypothesized that a difference i n bacterial translocation (BT) was a contributing factor to this pheno menon. Forty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-360 g) were divided in to five groups and underwent the following: control(no operation), sha m (intraperitoneal [IF] pentobarbital anesthesia, central venous and g astrostomy catheters, laparotomy, sham hepatectomy), standard oral fee ding (SOF), TPN (TV nutrients), and total enteral nutrition (TEN; gast rostomy). The SOF, TPN, and TEN groups had IP pentobarbital anesthesia , central venous and gastrostomy catheters, and 70% hepatectomy. Posto peratively, control and SOF (both catheters plugged) rats ate a commer cial rat chow and drank tap water ad libitum pre- and postoperatively. The sham, TPN, and TEN groups were given the identical infusate compo sition as above, but the nutrient concentrations were cut in half (110 kcal/kg) and three-quarters (165 kcal/kg) on postoperative days 1 and 2, respectively. At the end of postoperative day 2, all rats were eut hanized. BT to mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), liver, spleen, and lungs was significantly higher in the TPN rats compared with all other grou ps, except that BT to the MLNs was similar in the TPN and TEN groups. Bacteremia was found only in the TPN rats. BT in TPN rats with 70% hep atectomy was significantly greater 48 h after operation than in those fed the identical nutrients enterally at the same rate; this correlate s with the previously reported significantly greater mortality in rats with 70% hepatectomy receiving TPN. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. 19 97.