Motility of the transplanted small bowel: a manometric study in the piglet.

Complete transection of sympathic and parasympathic nerves is an inevitable consequence of intestinal transplantation. The aim of this experiment was to study if extrinsic denervation alters the motor function of the graft. Ten large-white piglets were used. In Group 1 control (5 animals), a segment of distal ileum was isolated on its intact neurovascular pedicle as a Thirty-Vella loop. In Group 2 study (5 animals), a Thiry-Vella loop of distal ileum was transplanted as a free autograft. The motility of intestinal loops was studied by intraluminal pressure recording at the 8th and 15th postoperative days, on conscious animals fasted for 24 hours. The measured patterns were period (P), duration (D), maximal amplitude (A) and speed of migration (S) of phases III of migratory myoelectric complexes (MMCs). One hundred and seven MMCs were recorded and compared between Group 1 and Group 2. The results were as follows: mean (+/- sem) of Group 1 vs mean (+/- sem) of Group 2. P (min) = 68.5 (+/- 8.1) vs 54.2 (+/- 3.2)(NS); D (min) = 5.9 (+/- 0.2) vs 5.9 (+/- 0.1) (NS); A (cmH2O) = 73.9 (+/- 4.1) vs 83.4 (+/- 3.2) (NS); S (cm/min) = 5 (+/- 1.1) vs 6.2 (+/- 1) (NS). The motor function of the loops was studied following intraluminal perfusion of a cholinergic compound (carbachol) at doses of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mg. The mean and the maximal pressures were recorded during 3 minutes from the 2nd minute following injection of carbachol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)