Gastric and small bowel ileus after severe burn in rats: The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

Oliveira, Hermes M.; Sallam, Hanaa S.; Espana-Tenorio, Jonathan; Chinkes, David; Chung, Dai H.; Chen, Jiande D.Z.; Herndon, David N.

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2009.02.022

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Volume 35, Issue 8 , Pages 1180-1184, December 2009

Gastric and small bowel ileus after severe burn in rats: The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

Hermes M. Oliveira
- Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX, USA
- Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Hanaa S. Sallam
- Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt
Jonathan Espana-Tenorio
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX, USA
David Chinkes
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX, USA
Dai H. Chung
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX, USA
Jiande D.Z. Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
David N. Herndon
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, TX, USA
- Corresponding author at: Shriners Hospitals for Children, 815 Market Street, 7th Floor, Medical Staff, Galveston, TX 77550, USA. Tel.: +1 409 770 6731; fax: +1 409 770 6919.

Accepted 23 February 2009.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) ileus is a common complication after severe burns. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2i) improved post-operative ileus, but its effect on burn-induced GI dysmotility is unknown. Our aim was to test whether a COX-2i improves gastric emptying (GE) and small bowel transit (SBT) after burn. Experiment on GE: rats were anesthetized and randomized into sham/scald burn, treated/untreated with COX-2i. Six hours after burn, rats received a phenol red meal and were sacrificed 30min later. Gastric emptying was determined based on the percentage of phenol red recovered in harvested stomachs. Experiment on SBT: rats received a duodenostomy and were scald/sham burned 5 days later. Six hours after burn, rats received a phenol red meal through the duodenostomy catheter and were sacrificed 100min later. Geometric center (GC) was calculated for SBT. GE was decreased significantly in burned vs. sham animals (p<0.001). SBT was significantly impaired in burned vs. sham animals (p<0.001). The COX-2i improved GE in the burn rats but not GE in the control rats or SBT in the burn rats. COX-2i improves burn-induced delayed GE, suggesting the mediation of the latter via the prostaglandin pathway.