title: [Technical aspects of experimental intestinal transplant].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective is to analyze the variables that influence the outcome of Small Bowel Transplantation (SBT) in rats in an experimental microsurgery program. The surgical technique and perioperative care are described in detail.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of the SBT in rats conducted in our experimental surgery laboratory from 2002 to 2010. The animals were divided into group A (those who survived more than 48 hours) and group B (those who died earlier without justificable cause). We compared in both groups: number of transplants performed by the surgeon, warm ischemia time, cold ischemia time and duration of the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five surgeons with different degrees of microsurgical training participated in the study. A total of 521 SBT were performed with an overall survival of 48%. The first successful transplant was performed after a median of 46 (25-68) transplants. Total procedure time (3.5 vs 2.9 hours) and warm ischemia time (51 vs 35 minutes) were higher in group B (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of transplants required for learning the technique is high. However, survival is acceptable when the time needed for vascular anastomosis is reduced. The SBT in rats is a valuable model for surgical training and research of the phenomena related to SBT.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid. slopezf.hulp@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-Fernández
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernández-Martín
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barrena
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Andrés
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Encinas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garriboli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Largo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Santamaría
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tovar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007422:Intestines / Q000637:transplantation*; D023421:Models, Animal; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D017208:Rats, Wistar