Prolongation of Life of Dogs with Experimental Intestinal Obstruction.

Abstract

Harwell, Hoguet and Beekman, 1 in an experimental study of intestinal obstruction, produced obstruction of the duodenum in a series of dogs, and found that “the 3 dogs which lived the longest were all given saline solution subcutaneously.” They injected from 150 to 300 cc. per day. In recent years numerous reports of the beneficial action of saline solution in gastric tetany and intestinal obstruction have appeared. We have undertaken a study of the effect of large quantities of saline solution on the length of life of dogs after the production of an experimental obstruction by the “closed loop” method introduced by Whipple and his associates. 2 We chose this method because it is a very uniform procedure, produces very characteristic results, and has been used widely by experimenters in this field. We have injected large quantities of normal saline solution, 500 cc. for each 7 kilos of body weight, 5 or 6 times a day subcutaneously, to provide fluid and chloride lost by vomiting and to cause a continuous diuresis. By this method we hoped to keep the dogs alive until the “closed loop” became relatively sterile, 3 or some other adaptation might occur.

Under ether anesthesia and using strictly aseptic technique, a “closed loop,” 10 to 12 inches long, of the first part of the jejunum was made beginning 5 or 6 inches below the fixed portion of the duodenum and the continuity of the intestine was reestablished by an end-to-end anastomosis.

The length of life of the untreated dogs confirms the findings of Dragstedt, Moorhead and Burcky, 3 and others, namely that such dogs die in from 24 to 96 hours.

At the present time we have results on six treated dogs, which show that the treatment has proven efficacious. Dog 1 lived 86 hours and possibly should be excluded because of rupture of the loop at the line of closure.