Tissue-engineered colon exhibits function in vivo

• Published in: Surgery 2002-08, Vol.132 (2), p.200-204
• Main Authors: Grikscheit, Tracy C., Ogilvie, Jennifer B., Ochoa, Erin R., Alsberg, Eben, Mooney, David, Vacanti, Joseph P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anastomosis, Surgical; Animals; Bile Acids and Salts - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Colectomy; Colon - physiology; Fatty Acids, Volatile - blood; Feces - microbiology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Ileostomy - methods; Intestinal Diseases - surgery; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Semiology; Postoperative Complications - mortality; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Pouchitis - mortality; Pouchitis - prevention & control; Proctocolectomy, Restorative - adverse effects; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Stomach, duodenum, intestine, rectum, anus; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Tissue Engineering - methods
• ISSN: 0039-6060; 1532-7361
• DOI: 10.1067/msy.2002.125310

Background. Postcolectomy morbidities include important changes in enterohepatic circulation, stool microbiology, and absorption. The surgical substitution of an ileal pouch for the absent colon also has a number of serious complications. We report in vivo colon replacement by tissue-engineered colon (TEC) in lieu of an ileal pouch. Methods. End-ileostomies were created in 22 male Lewis rats. In 11 animals, side-to-side ileum—TEC anastomosis was performed 1 cm from the stoma. This group was compared with end-ileostomy alone. Serial weights were measured, and animals were harvested sequentially for assessment of histologic signs of pouchitis. Transit times, stool dry and wet weights, and serum and stool colon function markers were collected. Results. Animals survived 41 days. Weight loss was more than 1.5 times greater in the end-ileostomy alone group compared with the ileum-TEC group. Transit times were significantly longer in the ileum-TEC group than the end-ileostomy alone group, with lower stool moisture content and higher total serum bile acids. Animals without TEC had statistically significant hyponatremia, elevated serum urea nitrogen, and lower stool short chain fatty acids (13.5 μmol/kg vs 84.2) with an abnormal distribution. Conclusions. TEC successfully recapitulates some major physiologic functions of native large intestine in vivo. (Surgery 2002;132:200-4.)