Abstract
The obstruction was produced, 20 cm. below the pylorus, by means of a ligature tied over an elastic compressor on the outside of the abdominal wall. Such an obstruction causes almost no trauma to the intestine, and can be released at any time desired without employing a second anesthetic and laparotomy, with their complicating effects.
If the obstruction at this level is not released, the period of survival averages seventeen hours. The variations from this average time are within three hours.
If the obstruction is released after a duration of fifteen hours or less, the animal survives. If, however, the obstruction is released after a duration of sixteen hours or more, the animal does not survive.
The sharp line of demarcation between the duration which is fatal, and that which is followed by recovery is quite striking. Also, the recovery of the animals from an obstruction of twelve to fifteen hours duration was remarkably rapid. Even though such animals before release of the obstruction gave evidence of being in a very serious condition, a striking degree of recovery is shown within one to three hours following the release of obstruction. If the animal's condition was due to absorption of a highly toxic substance from the obstructed content, such rapid recovery would hardly be expected. If the condition were due, however, to depletion of chloride 1 or the loss of fixed base, 2 the rapid recovery could be the result of rapid reabsorption of these substances which accumulate in the fluid distending the stomach, since the non-operative release of obstruction allows the obstructed content to move rapidly on to the lower parts of the canal where absorption is rapid.
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