OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to contribute to the establishment of a standard method of small bowel measurement by comparing repeated small bowel length measurements with and without stretching in healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Small bowel measurement was randomly performed in 24 healthy liver donors. Three repetitive measurements were performed with complete stretching in 12 cases; whereas, 3 consecutive measurements were made without any stretching in the other 12 patients. Living donor hepatectomy continued uneventfully in all cases. RESULTS: In the non-stretched group, the second measurement was 199 cm shorter than the first measurement (p <0.001). In the third measurement, this shortening had increased further, and the difference from the first measurement was 234 cm on average (p <0.001). In the stretched group, a shortening of approximately 135 cm between the first and second measurements was noted. In the third measurement, an improvement of 4% was observed in contrast to the non-stretched method, with a mean reduction of 105 cm in the small bowel length compared with the first measurement (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Stretching technique can reduce error rate in repeated small bowel measurements.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to contribute to the establishment of a standard method of small bowel measurement by comparing repeated small bowel length measurements with and without stretching in healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Small bowel measurement was randomly performed in 24 healthy liver donors. Three repetitive measurements were performed with complete stretching in 12 cases; whereas, 3 consecutive measurements were made without any stretching in the other 12 patients. Living donor hepatectomy continued uneventfully in all cases. RESULTS: In the non-stretched group, the second measurement was 199 cm shorter than the first measurement (p <0.001). In the third measurement, this shortening had increased further, and the difference from the first measurement was 234 cm on average (p <0.001). In the stretched group, a shortening of approximately 135 cm between the first and second measurements was noted. In the third measurement, an improvement of 4% was observed in contrast to the non-stretched method, with a mean reduction of 105 cm in the small bowel length compared with the first measurement (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Stretching technique can reduce error rate in repeated small bowel measurements.
Authors: Eleanor D Muise; John J Tackett; Kevin A Callender; Neeru Gandotra; Michaela C Bamdad; Robert A Cowles Journal: J Surg Res Date: 2016-07-18 Impact factor: 2.192