[Morphologic changes in the proximal jejunum after partial hepatectomy in rats].
BACKGROUND
Partial hepatectomy is being used with increasing frequency and wider surgical indications including living donor transplantation, particularly in children. Our aim was to study the morphologic changes that occur in the proximal jejunum as a result of the anatomic, functional, and metabolic unity of the liver and small intestine.


METHODS
Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups, a control group and an experimental group (30, 90, and 180 days). Changes in the proximal jejunum after 70% partial liver resection were studied by evaluating 4 parameters (total wall width, villous height, crypt depth, and villous thickness).


RESULTS
Jejunal total wall width increased significantly in the experimental group (p < 0.001). Villous height increased significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Villous thickness increased, and crypt depth decreased in the experimental group, but these changes were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Partial hepatectomy (70%) originated trophic changes in the proximal jejunum that persisted in the short and long term, giving rise to parietal and villous hypertrophy.
Rodríguez
M B
MB
Servicio de Cirugía General, Hospital General Río Carrión, Palencia. brosanz@yahoo.es
del Riego Tomás
F J
FJ
Vaquero
C
C
D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors