Abstract
BACKGROUND: Intestinal dysmotility and stasis after intestinal transplantation are considered to promote bacterial overgrowth and translocation. Two prokinetic agents, KW5139 (13-leu-motilin) and the somatostatin analogue octreotide acetate, were studied to determine whether they can ameliorate intestinal dysmotility during the early postoperative period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Motility was recorded by multiple extraluminal strain-gauge transducers in 6 dogs on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 14. A barium meal study was performed with a separate group of 8 dogs on postoperative days 3 and 7. RESULTS: The agent KW5139 induced brief, weak contractions in the graft and had little effect on the dilated bowel; however, octreotide induced motor activity that propelled accumulated intestinal contents into the colon and reduced dilation of the transplanted bowel. CONCLUSION: Octreotide, but not KW5139, ameliorates intestinal dysmotility associated with bowel autotransplantation during the early postoperative period. Short-term administration of octreotide may be useful for the treatment of dysmotility following intestinal transplantation.