[Morphological changes in intestinal villi after severe burns in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the morphological changes in intestinal villi after severe burns in rats, so as to explore its possible relationship with enteral bacterial translocation.


METHODS
Fifty Wistar rats were employed in the study, 10 of them were assigned to the control group (C). The rest 40 rats were subjected to 30% TBSA full-thickness scalding (burn group, B). 4 ml/100 g normal saline was given intra-peritoneally to the injured rats. The changes of the caliber of the central chyliferous vessel, the intestinal water content and the mucosal morphology of the terminal ileum were determined in the rats in C group and in B group at 8, 12, 24 and 48 postburn hours. The morphology of villi was observed with scanning electron microscope and light microscope.


RESULTS
The ileal villi appeared normal in C group. The central chyliferous vessel dilated persistently in rats of B group at all postburn time points, and dilatation was more evident in B group compared with control group (P < 0.01). At the same time an abundant amount of lymph was observed in the central chyliferous vessel. The intestinal water contents decreased to (70.5 +/- 2.2)% and (69.5 +/- 3.1)% in rats of B group at 8 and 12 PBHs, respectively, and they were obviously lower than that in C group (76.9 +/- 1.5)%, (P < 0.01). The intestinal water content in B group was similar to that in C group at 24 and 48 PBH (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The morphological changes in the intestinal villi of rats with severe burn injury may predispose the invasion of enteral toxin and bacteria. Intestinal lymphatics can be an important route for enteral bacterial translocation. The water reabsorption of the intestinal mucosa can be transiently enhanced during early postburn stage.
Department of Burns, The First Municipal People's Hospital of Guangzhou Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510180, P.R. China.
Xin-zhou
XZ
Rong
Tao
T
Zhang
Rong-hua
RH
Yang
Xiao-hua
XH
Huang
Qing-hui
QH
Li
D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000473:pathology