A Method of Preparing Isolated Intestinal Loops in the Dog. ∗

Abstract

Intestinal absorption experiments were carried on for 2 years with open fistulous loops of the Thiry type as modified by Johnston. 1 The double balloon method as adopted by Riegel 2 was also used for some months. Our results were not satisfactory as leakage often occurred and the animals required too much attention during experimental periods.

Therefore, a new operative method of closing intestinal fistulae has been developed and used during the past 2 years.† Present results indicate it to be successful physiologically, and superior experimentally to former procedures for constructing isolated intestinal loops for absorption studies.

A cylinder of especially prepared bone is implanted at the proximal end of the loop so that granulation tissue invades the interstices of the cancellous bone and forms a sealed closure for the loop.

Previously reported work with bone transplants has been done by Orell, 3 , 4 Bisgard, 5 , 6 Albee, 7 Wurm, 8 Girliani, 9 and Pokotilo. 10

Female dogs varying from 10 to 25 kg in weight have been used for the following surgical procedure. Six to 9 inches of small intestine are isolated for the loop, and the distal end is closed. The intestinal tract is anastomosed by a side-to-side apposition in the smaller animals and an end-to-end in the larger ones, by usual surgical methods. The open end of the loop is then inverted about the cylinder of bone which has been prepared and sterilized with a size 14 catheter through it. The accompanying diagrams show this procedure. Sutures hold the bone cylinder invaginated into the end of the loop so the serosal layer is held snugly to the surface of the bone.