Effect of adrenergic blockade on gastrointestinal propulsion after laparotomy. An experimental study in the rat.

The effects of alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic blockade on gastric evacuation and small bowel propulsion 15 hours after standardized laparotomy were evaluated. No retardation of gastric evacuation after the laparotomy appeared when alpha-receptor blocking treatment with phenoxybenzamine was instituted. Beta-receptor blocking treatment with propranolol did not prevent the retardation of gastric evacuation after the laparotomy. The time of analysis, 15 hours after the laparotomy, seemed to coincide with the period of resumption of normal small bowel propulsion.