To determine whether bile juice exclusion can prevent the mucosal damage, and Insulin-like growth factor-I can promote mucosal regeneration in ischemia- reperfusion injury of the bowel, 39 weanling rats with 10 cm of Thiry-Vella loop were studied. Animal groups were; Control, BL(common bile duct ligation), IGF{insulin- like growth factor- I(IGF-I) infusion} and IGF-BL(combined treatment). IGF-I(1.5 mg/kg/day) was continuously delivered through a subcutaneously implanted miniosmotic pump. After 15 minutes of superior mesenteric artery clamping, a tissue specimen(P) was taken after 30 minutes of reperfusion. Intestinal continuity was restored to allow oral feeding. A specimen of main tract(M) and another of the Thiry-Vella 100p(T) were collected for histomorphometry after 48 hours of reperfusion and free feeding. Villus size ratio(VSR), crypt depth(CD), crypt-depth/villus-height ratio(CVR) and injury score(IS) were measured in 15 consecutive villi. The postoperative mortalities of bile duct ligation groups(BL and IGF-BL) were higher than those of other groups. In control group, VSR of M was lower(P<0.05) than P or T, but not in the other groups. VSR of M in conrol was lower than those in other groups. CD of T in control, IGF and IGF-BL group were higher than those of M. CD of M and T showed gradual increaments from control, IGF and IGF-BL group, respectively. CVR of M and T in IGF group were higher than those in control. CVR in IGF-BL group, T was higher than M, and M was higher than P. About IS, M of BL(20.1 ± 2.5) and IGF-BL(20.9 ± 3.3) groups were significantly lower than that of controI(32.4 ± 2.5). These results suggest that the exclusion of bile juice reduces the severity of the reperfusion injury of the mucosa, by inability to activate pancreatic enzymes and IGF-I stimulates mucosal regeneration in injured bowel, and the effect is potentiated by bile juice exclusion.
