Research on the therapeutics of intense abdominal irradiations in pigs

Abstract

Summary.Tests of surgical treatments (graft of small intestine, and partial enterectomy before or after irradiation) and dietetic treatments (continuous parenteral feeding) were carried out on 80 pigs irradiated over the posterior half of the body with doses of between 950 and 1750 rad at mid plane.The results relate to clinical symptoms, survivals, haematology, and histopathology; nutritional aspects were studied by means of evaluation of balances (nitrogen, lipids, and minerals) and absorption tests (58Co -Vit. B 12 and iodised lipids).Above 1200 rad recuperation of the digestive system did not in general make prolonged survival possible; in addition to intestinal lesions, renal and especially pancreatic atrophy appeared, whose consequences appeared to be determinative as regards the nutrition and hence the survival of the animals.

Prostaglandins and Radiation Enteritis

“…Diet has been shown to be a factor in intestinal sensitivity to radiation. 9 Cox, et al from Ferris' laboratory at the University of Minnesota have developed and published a method for inducing essential fatty acid deficiency in adult rats by total fasting followed by an essential fatty acid deficient diet(FAD). 7 In these animals urinary prostaglandin excretion fell to 20% of normal.…”

Effects of intense abdominal irradiation at a high dose (1 100 rd) on gastric secretion and apparent feed digestibility in swine

“…The Corsican pigs in the present work seemed definitely more radio- (1974) on the guinea-pig : maximum lesions occurred in the dog between weeks 2-3 and in the guinea-pig between weeks 3-5. When the development of intestinal and stomachal lesions in swine are compared, maximal histological disturbance is seen to occur between days 9 and 13, while fecal protein concentration is maximum on day 11 (Daburon et al, , 1979 (fig. 4).…”