Meaning of free intraperitoneal fluid in small-bowel obstruction: preliminary results using high-frequency microsonography in a rat model.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to detect the onset, evolution, and meaning of extraluminal free fluid in a rat model of small-bowel obstruction using high-frequency microsonography.


METHODS
Small-bowel obstruction was surgically created in 8 rats divided into 2 groups of 4 rats each. All rats were examined by high-frequency microsonography to monitor the evolution of small-bowel obstruction and the abdominal sonographic findings. In group 2 rats, the obstruction was resolved 2 hours after surgery.


RESULTS
In all rats, free peritoneal fluid was detected just near the obstructed loop after 1 hour and in the hepatorenal recess after 2 hours. These features progressively increased in the following hours in group 1 rats. In group 2, the amount of free fluid decreased shortly after removing the obstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
Free fluid is an early finding in small-bowel obstruction, and the increase or decrease of its amount is correlated with the worsening or resolution of the obstruction.
Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Cagliari-Polo di Monserrato, SS 554 Monserrato, 09045 Cagliari, Italy. lucasaba@tiscali.it.
Francesca
F
Iacobellis
Daniela
D
Berritto
Maria Paola
MP
Belfiore
Imma
I
Di Lanno
Manuela
M
Maiorino
Luca
L
Saba
Roberto
R
Grassi
D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary*
animal model; basic science; free peritoneal fluid; gastrointestinal ultrasound; high-frequency sonography; small-animal imaging; small-bowel obstruction