Insights from animal models for growing intestinal neomucosa with serosal patching--a still untapped technique for the treatment of short bowel syndrome.

The aim of surgical treatment of short bowel syndrome is to increase the intestinal absorptive capacity by increasing the area of absorption or by slowing intestinal transit. The use of serosal patching to grow new intestinal mucosa is a technique for enlarging the intestinal surface. The regenerated intestine develops by lateral ingrowth from the neighbouring mucosa and is functionally similar to normal intestinal mucosa. The present review summarizes the main contributions of the rabbit, the rat and the canine models used to date for growing neomucosa using the serosal patch technique, as well as examining the influence of some growth factors on the development of neomucosa.