Small intestinal transit does not adequately represent postoperative paralytic ileus in rats

Small intestinal transit (SIT) has often been regarded as an index of pathophysiological state of postoperative ileus (PI) in rats. The reliability of SIT as an index of PI was examined in the present study. PI was induced via abdominal surgery (i.e., laparotomy with evisceration and manipulation) in rats. For one group of PI-induced rats, SIT of a charcoal test meal was measured. When necessary, the physical state (i.e., severity and site of distension) of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in each rat was visually examined. For another group of PI-induced rats, abdominal X-ray radiographs were obtained after introducing the barium sulfate suspension. The abdomen was then opened and the physical state of the GI tract was visually examined. The SIT was decreased in most of the PI-induced rats, and the GI distension was observed, with substantial intersubject variations, in all of the PI-induced rats. However, no linear relationship was evident between the SIT and the severity of GI distension (e.g., at 20 h after PI induction). Instead, the severity and site of GI distension could be monitored by the X-ray radiology. Therefore, the use of SIT as an index of PI should be substantially limited.