Studies on small intestinal obstruction. II. Blood flow, vascular resistance, capillary filtration, and oxygen consumption in denervated small bowel after obstruction

Abstract

Intestinal circulation was studied during in vitro perfusion of denervated small intestine of the cat shortly after release of an in vivo small-bowel obstruction. Blood flow, vascular resistance, capillary filtration, and oxygen consumption were determined. No significant differences were demonstrated between obstructed and non-obstructed intestines. The presently studied facets of small-bowel microcirculation thus exhibit a virtually normal function 30 minutes after decompression of a bowel obstruction. The pertinent literature affords evidence that a distension impairs bowel viability; it would seem that this impairment is rapidly ameliorated following decompression of the bowel.