Chronic cannulation of the small intestine of pigeons (Columba livia). A technique to assess bioavailability.

CHEDIACK, J. G.; CID, F. D.; FASULO, S. V.; CAVIEDES-VIDAL E.

Villa de Merlo, San Luis

Congreso; XXII Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2004

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Many techniques in situ and in vitro studies have been developed to study intestinal absorption processes. In vivo techniques have the advantage to reproduce conditions close to a normal situation. Our aim was to develop an in vivo method to study intestinal absorption of solutes in intact pigeons (Columba livia). To achieve our objective we installed chronically a cannula in the proximal section of the small intestine, near the pyloric valve. The procedure started by anesthesizing birds with a mix of Ketamine/xylacine. Then a small incision was cutted in the abdomen and, a modified nasogastric catheter (K-33) was inserted in the proximal part of the small intestine of the pigeons. A 21G catheter was introduced in the nasogastric catheter to avoid the entrance of substances from the lumen. Recuperation after surgery was very fast and no apparent body mass reduction was apparent. Animals consumed food and water within a day. The cannula was expulsed spontaneously by pigeons around two months after surgery. The method is simple, inexpensive and useful for nutrition research. Particularly, it was useful to determine bioavailability of solutes in intact animals without influence of anaesthesia. Supported by grants FONCYT 1-03101 & CyT-UNSL 22/Q151 to EC-V.