title: The effect of polyethylene glycol and butyrate on anastomotic healing in the rat colon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of mechanical bowel preparation is much debated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG), with or without a single dose of 3.0 mmol butyrate (BUT), on the bursting pressure (BP) of an intact colon segment and a colon anastomosis in rats. Also, histopathologic damage was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In rats without colectomy, the mean BP was 159.2 mmHg (SD=18.9) after PEG treatment and 116.7 mmHg (SD=27.5) in controls (p=0.001). In rats with colectomy, the mean BP was 90.4 mmHg (SD=45.9) in the PEG group, 108.0 mmHg (SD=31.9) in the BUT group, and 102.7 mmHg (SD=44.7) in controls (p=0.44). No significant differences in histopathologic scores were observed between rats treated with PEG and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEG does not interfere with anastomotic healing in rats as measured by BP. No benefit of a single dose of butyrate was observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Surgery, University Clinic Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fa-Si-Oen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van de Gender
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Putter
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ectors
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Hoore
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Penninckx
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003082:Colectomy; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols