Effects of distal intestinal bypass and other gastrointestinal operations on experimental hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis

Abstract

Further appraisal has been made of the effects of distal intestinal bypass in experimental hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in dogs. In this study, bypass of 30 to 40 per cent of distal small intestine successfully prevented the development of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in animals on a vigorous atherogenic regimen; the test regimen included an experimental model which had been previously shown to enhance segmental deposition of atheroma. Bypass of 15 per cent of small intestine was not satisfactory in this regard, although both 15 per cent bypass and 15 per cent resection afforded a limited degree of protection against induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Very little difference was observed between the excellent protective effects of 30 per cent intestinal resection and 30 per cent intestinal bypass in these preliminary experiments. Comparison of the effects of truncal vagotomy and selective gastric vagotomy in animals on atherogenic regimen suggests that truncal vagotomy offers a modest protective effect against hypercholesterolemia and experimental atherosclerosis whereas selective gastric vagotomy offers no protection whatsoever. Further evaluation of the preventive effects of 30 to 40 per cent intestinal bypass and the other gastrointestinal operations in experimental atherosclerosis is clearly indicated and an assessment of their therapeutic value in established experimental atherosclerosis must be made.