An animal model for short-bowel syndrome in piglets to assess the efficiency of bowel-lengthening procedures

Intestinal lengthening is considered to be one of the most effective surgical interventions to improve the deleterious sequelae of short-bowel syndrome. To assess the efficiency of bowel-lengthening procedures in short-bowel syndrome, an animal model was created in minipigs that show malnutrition, weight loss and small-bowel dilatation. Group 1 consisted of three animals with a 95% distal intestinal resection leaving 15 cm of ileum. Group 2 comprised six animals with a 95% distal intestinal resection leaving only 5 cm of ileum, and group 3 consisted of three animals with a 95% distal intestinal resection leaving 5 cm of ileum and construction of a distal small-bowel stenosis by temporary banding. In group 1 there was a significant increase in length of residual bowel at terminal laparotomy at 10 weeks and a significant difference for protein and potassium. No bowel dilatation occurred and no animal lost weight. Group 2 animals showed a continuous loss of weight after the intestinal resection and significantly different values in animal profile were found at 10 weeks but no significant difference in length or in diameter of the residual bowel. In group 3, all animals demonstrated a significant dilatation of the residual small bowel at 1 week when the stenosis was resected and bowel continuity restored. We conclude that in piglets a 95% distal intestinal resection leaving 5 cm of ileum leads to a short-bowel syndrome with malnutrition and weight loss, but no intestinal dilatation. To provoke an additional intestinal dilatation, creation of a distal stenosis is mandatory. Animals of group 3 represent a suitable model to assess the efficacy of short-bower lengthening procedures.