Gastric transplants using the Akiyama method were used to treat esophageal carcinoma in 12 patients. Endoscopic examination, prolonged manometry (greater than 30 min), and 24 h pH monitoring were performed postoperatively to evaluate functional results. All patients could swallow without difficulty at the time of examination and had no dysphagia, regurgitation, heartburn, or sensation of abdominal fullness. Histologic examinations of residual esophagus showed microscopic esophagitis in 5 patients. Percentage of time that pH less than 4 was 42.6 +/- 10.9% (mean +/- SEM) and median pH was 4.3 +/- 1.0. The manometric examination showed no 'esophageal-like' peristaltic waves, but synchronous contractions were demonstrated in 9 patients, gastric type activity in two patients, and no activity was detected in one patient. We conclude that retained gastric peristaltic function is not a prerequisite for a good clinical outcome for swallowing and that despite vagotomy, the stomach continues to produce enough acid to maintain an acidic pH.
Donor-specific induction of tolerance was previously achieved in the diabetic rat by intrathymic injection of pancreatic islets. It allowed a secondary islet graft in any site without immunosuppression. Since total pancreatic graft in man is metabolically more proficient than islet graft, we attempted tolerance induction for total vascularized pancreas transplantation in diabetic BN recipient rats by an intrathymic bone marrow cell (BMC) injection from Lewis donor rats, associated to an antilymphocyte antibody (ALS) administration. Control groups consisted of isogenic grafts, allogenic grafts without tolerance induction and allogenic grafts with ALS alone. In all grafted groups, mean blood glucose and plasma insulin were normalised within 24 h. Graft rejection (clinically suggested by diabetes recurrence and later confirmed by histology) appeared at 18 ± 2 postoperative days in the absence of intrathymic BMC injection and at 36 ± 8 days in the group with BMC injection (p < 0.05). Intrathymic bone marrow graft was successful in delaying rejection in our study.
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