Effect of cimetidine on intestinal adaptation following massive resection of the small intestine.

Gastric acid hypersecretion follows massive resection of the small intestine. Steatorrhea as well as other metabolic imbalances is a challenging management problem associated with massive resection of the small intestine. In the literature, it has been suggested that the empiric use of cimetidine controls gastric acid hypersecretion following massive resection of the small intestine. In this study, an 80 per cent resection of the small intestine was performed upon 12 mongrel dogs. Ileal pH measurements, fecal fat content and serial intestinal biopsies were obtained for morphometric measurements. Steatorrhea was reduced by approximately 40 per cent in the cimetidine treated dogs. Ileal pH measurements declined immediately following intestinal resection. The cimetidine treated dogs demonstrated a return to normal levels within ten days following intestinal resection, p less than 0.05. Intestinal adaptation morphometric parameters revealed an accelerated adaptational response in the cimetidine treated dogs, p less than 0.05. Results of this study colaborates with the empiric and clinical indication for the use of cimetidine in the short gut syndrome clinical situation. In addition, the data suggest an intestinal adaptation accelerated response during the first phase of intestinal adaptation following massive resection of the small intestine in the dog.