Study of bacterial translocation from gut after paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury in rats

Study Design. Normal rats and paraplegic rats with and injured spinal cord were used to study bacterial translocation from gut. Objective. To investigate whether bacterial translocation from gut occurs after spinal cord injury. Summary of Background Data. It has been demonstrated that trauma and operation can lead to gastrointestinal paralysis; disturbance of gastrointestinal motility following trauma may cause bacterial overgrowth in gastrointestinal tract and increase the incidence of bacterial translocation. However, bacterial translocation from gut after spinal cord injury has not been studied. Methods. Under aseptic manipulation, samples of blood were collected for bacterial cultures and endotoxin determination. In the meantime, samples of mesenteric lymph node, spleen, and liver were collected for bacterial culture. The jejunum and ileum were observed by light and electron microscope. Results. Endotoxemia and bacterial translocation appeared 24 hours and 48 hours correspondingly after spinal cord injury complicated with paraplegia. Conclusion. Bacterial translocation from gut would occur after spinal cord injury in rats, which indicated that antibiotics should be administered to paraplegic patients with spinal cord injury as soon as possible to prevent potential bacterial translocation.