title: Histomorphometric changes after small bowel transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rejection results in destruction of the intestinal mucosa. This is the major cause of morbidity and morbility in human allografts. The aim of this study was to investigate histomorphometric changes in both the graft and recipient intestinal mucosa after experimental orthotopic small bowel transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the pig model, 21 large-white pigs underwent: laparotomy (n = 7) (control group); orthotopic small bowel transplantation without immunosuppression (n = 7); and orthotopic small bowel transplantation with cyclosporine A (n = 7).
  
  
  RESULTS
  1) Significant reduction of total mucosal thickness (villi plus crypt) (p < 0.05) in both the graft and recipient mucosa; 2) Attenuation of this effect by administration of cyclosporine A, which reduced the loss of mucosal thickness mainly at the expense of crypt hipertrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that villi and crypt length measurements may be a reliable method for monitoring rejection after small bowel transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery Service, Hospital Infantil Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín-Crespo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Miguel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vázquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine