SUCCESSFUL SEGMENTAL INTESTINAL TRANSPLANTATION IN ENTERECTOMIZED PIGS

The aim of this study was to determine whether short-segment jejunal allografts maintained the viability and nutritional status of outbred recipient pigs treated with low-dose cyclosporine. The animals were subjected to total small bowel resection (from the ligament of Treitz to the ileocecal valve, approximately 15 m). Short-gut control animals (n = 8) who had no transplant died of malabsorption on day 62.5 ± 4.1 (mean ± SEM). Without cyclosporine immunosuppression, recipients (n = 5) of 3 m to 4 m jejunal allografts died of rejection on day 8.8 ± 0.7. However enterectomized pigs (n = 11) who had segmental jejunal allograft transplants and were treated with cyclosporine (10 mg/kg/day) demonstrated significantly prolonged survival (to day 80.9 ± 22.3; p < 0.05). By 180 days after transplant, surviving animals increased their weight by almost 40%. In conclusion short-segment jejunal allografts significantly improved the mortality and morbidity rates from surgically created short bowel syndrome in pigs.