Small bowel graft revascularization in experiment.
OBJECTIVE
The technical aspects of a procedure are most important for the outcome of the experiment. This study was designed to compare two techniques suitable for graft revascularization.


METHODS
The first technique, where the animal is both donor and the recipient, consists of connecting the grafts' vascular anastomoses to the mesenteric vessel bed. In the second technique, one animal is the graft donor and the other is the recipient, with revascularization to the central vessel bed (subrenal inferior vena cava and aorta). Techniques of restoring digestive tract continuity and creation of diagnostic "chimney ileostomy" were identical in both groups. All experimental animals were monitored clinically regularly basis as per protocol (weight, temperature, stoma appearance, output and nature of stools). Blood and biopsy samples were obtained on days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30.


RESULTS
Overall, 43 transplant procedures were performed. The first group included 18 transplants and 66.7% animals had vascular complications. While in the second group (25 transplant procedures), vascular complication rate was only 12% (3 out of 25) perhaps due to technique modifications.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experiment showed that both types of vascular anastomosis could be used in small bowel transplantation. Connecting the graft vessels to the aorta and inferior vena cava is technically simpler and safer because of fewer subsequent complications (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 6). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
Oliverius
M
M
Transplant Surgery Department, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic. maol@ikem.cz
Balaz
P
P
Kudla
M
M
Valsamis
A
A
Cap
J
J
Adamec
M
M
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation*; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000601:surgery; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000601:surgery; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D034421:Sus scrofa; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*