The impact of intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion on caerulein-induced oedematous experimental pancreatitis

Background. Intestinal ischaemia is a feature of severe acute pancreatitis. It is not known whether intestinal ischaemia and reperfusion contributes to the progression from mild to severe pancreatitis. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion on caerulein-induced oedematous experimental pancreatitis. Method. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were randomised to 6 experimental groups: controls (CO), saline infusion (S), saline infusion and intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion (SIR), caerulein infusion (C), caerulein and sham operation (CS), and caerulein infusion with intestinal ischaemia reperfusion (CIR). Caerulein was infused over 6 h to induce mild oedematous pancreatitis. Clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 10 min induced mild intestinal ischaemia. The reperfusion time was 24 h. The primary end point was histology of the pancreas at 24 h. Results: There was no significant difference in histologic severity of pancreatitis at 24 h (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.37). Conclusion: The severity of acute oedematous pancreatitis was not increased by 10 min of intestinal ischaemia followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.