Transintestinal Intubation: Technic for Measurement of Gut Length and Physiologic Sampling at Known Loci.

Abstract

A technique is described for sampling the contents of the intestinal tract in human subjects repeatedly and at various intestinal levels over a 1-2 week intubation period. Prolonged transintestinal intubation with polyvinyl tubing (2.1 mm OD) was well tolerated, and sampling was effected under conditions which closely approach the physiological state. A means of localizing the site of aspiration is described. Reproducible measurements of the length of the intestinal tract were made in 8 adult patients.