Inhibition of transport processes of intestinal segments following augmentation enterocystoplasty in rats

Purpose: Sodium and chloride transport was measured by using the Ussing chamber-voltage clamp technique to evaluate alterations occurring in ileal segments interposed in the urinary tract in a rat enterocystoplasty model. Materials and Methods: In adult male Sprague-Dawley rats which had undergone augmentation ileocystoplasties 3 months earlier, intestinal segments were explanted from the neobladders and native ileal segments were removed separately for electrolyte transport and morphometric analysis. Results: Basal ileal active sodium and chloride absorption and cyclic nucleotide- induced chloride secretion were attenuated in transplanted ileum in contrast to control tissue. Morphologically, there was villus epithelial hyperplasia, crypt hyperplasia and chronic inflammation in transplanted segments, but villus height:crypt length ratios were unchanged. Conclusions: Pathophysiologic derangements in intestinal segments interposed in the urinary tract include inhibition of sodium and chloride transport processes and mucosal hyperplasia. The use of the Ussing chamber/voltage clamp technique described herein offers a new approach for additional studies of the metabolic consequences following urinary diversion.