[Bacterial translocation in a model of small intestine autotransplant in dogs].
BACKGROUND
Sepsis is the commonest complication of small bowel transplantation. These infections are presumably caused by bacterial translocation, due to splanchnic ischemia.


OBJECTIVE
To study bacterial translocation in the immediate postoperative period after a small bowel transplantation in dogs and to relate it to splanchnic ischemia.


METHODS
Three groups of dogs were studied. In group A (n = 6) spontaneous episodes of splanchnic ischemia were monitored in the first 18 h of the postoperative period. In group B (n = 5), a 60 min ischemia was induced by superior mesenteric artery occlusion, two hours after small bowel transplantation. In group C (n = 5) a 60 min ischemia was induced by occlusion of mesenteric vein, two hours after transplantation. Bacterial translocation was assessed through bacterial cultures from the mesenteric vein and splanchnic ischemia with intramucosal pH measurement (a pH < 7.2 was considered indicative of ischemia).


RESULTS
Twenty eight of 83 cultures were positive, specially for Gram negative bacilli. The incidence of positive cultures was 14% for group A, 17% for group B and 79% for group C (p < 0.01 compared to groups A and B). The higher incidence of bacterial translocation occurred during the first two hours after transplantation, when the lower intramucosal pH recordings were obtained. The percentage of positive cultures was 39% during periods of ischemia, compared to 24% during periods without ischemia (p = NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Bacterial translocation occurs during the first two hours after intestinal transplantation, in concomitance with the lower intramucosal pH readings.
López
F
F
Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, P Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago.
Hernández
G
G
Zúñiga
A
A
Castillo
L
L
Ruiz
F
F
Añazco
R
R
Howard
M
M
Rivera
C
C
Bugedo
G
G
Leiva
G
G
D000818:Animals; D018988:Bacterial Translocation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000637:transplantation*; D007511:Ischemia; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D013997:Time Factors
Traslocación bacteriana en un modelo de autotrasplante de intestino delgado en perros.