Abstract
To evaluate the effect of dietary fiber "pectin" on mucosal hyperplasia following massive small intestinal resection, the following models were designed in rats, 1) Proximal intestinal resection by 90% and end to end duodenoileostomy (group I) 2) Distal intestinal resection by 90% and end to end jejunocecostomy (group II). In each group rats were subdivided into two subgroups according to the enteral formula administered, one subgroup with an elemental diet (a subgroup) and another subgroup with an elemental diet supplemented with 1% (w/v) pectin (b subgroup). Specimens were obtained from the duodenum and residual intestine two weeks after operation. The mucosal hyperplasia was evaluated by measuring the variables including villous height, crypt depth, total mucosal thickness, DNA contents, protein contents as well as wet weight per segment. In Group I, all parameters in the duodenum were significantly higher in b subgroup compared with a subgroup. However, they didn't differ significantly beween two subgroups in Group II. These results indicate that supplementation of dietary fiber to an elemental diet has a favorable effect on the adaptive hyperplasia of duodenum following massive small intestinal resection and that ileum might play an important role for the effect.
