The cholecystocolic bypass with jejunal interposition graft for bile acid depletion in bile and portal blood in guinea pigs.

Ileal bypass and cholecystostomy are used in children with selected cholestatic diseases to lower the bile acid (BA) levels in bile and blood and improve outcome. The efficacy of a cholecystocolic bypass in achieving the same goals was investigated in guinea pigs. In the study group (n=7), a cholecystocolic bypass was performed using a jejunal graft interposed between the gallbladder and the cecum. In the control group (n=5), a cholecystojejunal bypass was performed with a similar graft implanted in the proximal jejunum. Total BA concentration was measured in bile and portal blood at surgery (D0) and 30 days later (D30) by pooling the concentrations of 7 individual BA. D30/D0 BA ratios were compared. All animals developed normally without clinical symptoms. A 76% reduction in the bile T-BA levels was observed in both groups (p<0.05). A 80% decrease of T-BA levels was observed in portal vein in study group (p<0.05), suggesting that ileal bile flow and BA ileal reabsorption were highly impaired. No change in portal vein BA levels was observed in control group. Cholecystocolic bypass led to a significant loss of bile acids in guinea pigs and might be considered for bile diversion in pediatric patients with selected cholestatic diseases.