FUNCTION AND SURVIVAL OF JEJUNAL HOMO-TRANSPLANTS IN DOGS WITH AND WITHOUT IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE TREATMENT

Abstract

Homotransplants of the intestine secrete a succus entericus as long as the mucous membrane of the transplant is intact. The succus entericus contains sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride in concentrations similar to what has been observed by others in secretions collected from isolated intestinal fistulas. Rejection of intestinal homotransplants begins with destruction of the mucous membrane of the transplant. This change occurred a few hours to 2 days before the graft became necrotic in untreated hosts, and at a variable and longer time prior to necrosis of the graft in animals treated with immunosuppressive drugs. In 8 untreated dogs with intestinal homografts, the grafts survived 5 to 12 days (mean, 8 days). In 5 dogs treated with azathioprine and prednisone the grafts survived 14 to 102 days (mean, 39 days).