Bacterial translocation as a cause for septic complications in obstructive colonic ileus.

Failure of intestinal barrier function and subsequent translocation of microorganisms and their degradation products play a decisive role in development of systemic septic complications for many systemic and intra-abdominal pathologies, for example, following obstructive colonic ileus (OCI). This study was aimed at the evaluation of the intestinal barrier state in OCI. Sixty albino Wistar rats weighting 250 to 300 g (mean 265 g) were divided into four groups (15 animals in each). Acute colonic ileus (ACI) was modeled as follows except a control group (Group 1). Our objective was to examine changes in bacterial flora in the abdomen, mesenteric lymphatic nodes (MLN), liver, spleen, and lungs during the model of OCI after 72 hours following the beginning of experiment. The composition of parietal mucus in normal and in OCI 48 hours following the beginning of experiment examined. Interleukin (IL-VI) levels were determined in both portal and peripheral blood. The right-hand half of colon was ligated at the level of ileocaecal junction in animals of Group 2 (n = 15), whereas in animals of Group 3 (n = 15) it was ligated at the level of sigmoid colon. With the same purpose, a portion of the suspended caecal content was administered into lumen of the jejunum at a concentration of 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU) in animals of Group 4 (n = 15). Experimentally--induced OCI causes significant bacterial translocation (BT) in rats. The process of colonization of the proximal small intestine with colonic flora takes place under the conditions of ileus. The conditions favorable for the development of BT are generated with colonization of 10(6) CFU in volume. As a result, intestinal flora penetrates into the abdominal organs and lungs. Its highest concentrations are noted in the lymph nodes, lungs and liver. The modeling of the small intestine colonization with colonic flora (Group 4) demonstrates critical parameters of microbial semination.