Abstract

Introduction: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a severe, chronic condition of inefficient absorption of nutrient and fluid from intestines. The hallmark symptoms of the SBS are malnutrition and weight loss and morbidity and mortality rates remain disappointedly high in patients with SBS. The use of making longitudinal gastrojejunostomy is a technique to grow new intestinal mucosa or intestinal metaplasia in gastric mucosal surface and increase the intestinal transit time.

Materials and Methods: 24 Wistar-Hannover rats were divided into 3 groups (Sham, SBS, longitudinal gastrojejunostomy). After 14 days all rats were weighted, euthanized, and blood was collected. En bloc resection of anastomotic part was performed for histopathological examination.

Results: Weight loss is significantly less in group 3 and Vit. B12 and GLP-2 levels were significantly higher in group 3 compared to group 2. Longitudinal antiperistaltic gastrojejunostomy promotes intestinal metaplasia in gastric mucosa and increased the absorption surface.

Conclusion: This surgical procedure may be used in short bowel syndrome for increasing the absorption surface area. But that needs to be determined by adequately powered clinical trials.

Key words: Intestinal metaplasia, Longitudinal gastrojejunostomy, Short bowel syndrome