title: Novel method for studying postoperative ileus in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative ileus (POI) is characterized by a transient inhibition of coordinated motility of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract after abdominal surgery and leads to increased morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Currently, intestinal manipulation of the intestine is widely used as a preclinical model of POI. The technique used to manipulate the intestine is however highly variable and difficult to standardize, leading to large variations and inconsistent findings between different investigators. Therefore, we developed a device by which a fixed and adjustable pressure can be applied during intestinal manipulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The standardized pressure manipulation method was developed using the purpose-designed device. First, the effect of graded manipulation was examined on postoperative GI transit. Next, this new technique was compared to the conventional manipulation technique used in previous studies. GI transit was measured by evaluating the intestinal distribution of orally gavaged fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran. Infiltration of myeloperoxidase positive cells and cytokine production (ELISA) in the muscularis externa of the intestine were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increasing pressures resulted in a graded reduction of intestinal transit and was associated with intestinal inflammation as demonstrated by influx of leukocytes and increased levels of IL-6, IL-1β and MCP-1 compared to control mice. With an applied pressure of 9 grams a similar delay in intestinal transit could be obtained with a smaller standard deviation, leading to a reduced intra-individual variation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method provides a reproducible model with small variation to study the pathophysiology of POI and to evaluate new anti-inflammatory strategies.
authors: Tytgat institute of Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Sjoerd Hw
authors: SH
authors: van Bree
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Nemethova
authors: Fleur S
authors: FS
authors: van Bovenkamp
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Gomez-Pinilla
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Elbers
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Di Giovangiulio
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Matteoli
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: van Vliet
authors: Cathy
authors: C
authors: Cailotto
authors: Michael Wt
authors: MW
authors: Tanck
authors: Guy Ee
authors: GE
authors: Boeckxstaens
keywords: Gastrointestinal motility and physiology; inflammation; intestinal transit; mice; postoperative ileus