The impact of low-residue enteral feeding on the healing of colonic anastomoses.

This study was carried out with the aim of comparing colonic anastomosis cicatrization in rats fed either standard rat chow or a low-residue enteral diet. Energy intake, the evolution of body weight, fecal weight, macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of the anastomoses, anastomotic bursting pressure, and collagen concentration in the anastomotic tissue were all evaluated. Anastomotic complications were more common among the animals fed standard rat chow, and cicatrization was more inflammatory than in the rats given a low-residue enteral diet. Although the latter was more effective in preventing anastomotic complications, it resulted in a lower gain in collagen and hence a diminished resistance to the increase in intraluminal pressure associated with the administration of such diets. Colonic contents, including the fecal bolus and bacteria, may be held responsible for the increased number of complications, the augmentation of collagen content, and the improvement in the resistance to intraluminal pressure.