The effect of polyethylene glycol and butyrate on anastomotic healing in the rat colon

The use of mechanical bowel preparation is much debated. We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG), with or without a single dose of 3.0 mmol butyrate (BUT), on the bursting pressure (BP) of an intact colon segment and a colon anastomosis in rats. Also, histopathologic damage was studied. In rats without colectomy, the mean BP was 159.2 mmHg (SD=18.9) after PEG treatment and 116.7 mmHg (SD=27.5) in controls (p=0.001). In rats with colectomy, the mean BP was 90.4 mmHg (SD=45.9) in the PEG group, 108.0 mmHg (SD=31.9) in the BUT group, and 102.7 mmHg (SD=44.7) in controls (p=0.44). No significant differences in histopathologic scores were observed between rats treated with PEG and controls. PEG does not interfere with anastomotic healing in rats as measured by BP. No benefit of a single dose of butyrate was observed.