The Effects of Glutamine-enriched Feeding on Ileal Anastomose Healing in Rats

Objective: In this experiment, supplementation of the diet with increased levels of glutamine was used to determine glutamine enriched diet effect on the healing of ileal anastomosis. Methods: Forty albino Wistar rats, in four groups, had a special diet 7 days prior to surgery and 7 days after surgery. On the 7th day of study a complete cut of the ileal wall was carried out and an anastomosis was performed using single layer interrupted inverting sutures. Group 1 received a normal diet for all 14 days; group 2 received a glutamine enriched diet 7 days prior to surgery and a normal diet 7 days after surgery; group 3 received a normal diet prior to surgery and a glutamine enriched diet after surgery; group 4 received a constant glutamine enriched diet. On the 7th postoperative day, tensile strength measurements and hydroxyproline level analyses were done. Results: A preoperative glutamine enriched diet did not show any significant improvement in the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels on the 7th postoperative day, but pre and postoperative, and postoperative glutamine enriched diet significantly improved when compared with the normal diet group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings show that when a glutamine enriched diet was used, in the postoperative or both pre and postoperative period, hydroxyproline levels and bursting pressures increased, indicating a good anastomotic healing.