BACKGROUND: Splenic autotransplantation seems to be the only alternative for the preservation of splenic tissue, after total splenectomy. The present study was perfomed to analyze Escherichia coli depuration by mononuclear phagocytic system organs after total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. METHODS: We utilized an experimental model including young and adult Wistar rats, of both sexes, submitted to total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. The evaluation method was intravenous inoculation of a suspension of Escherichia coli labeled with technetium - 99m. We analyzed bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocytic system organs and bacteria remnant in the bloodstream. RESULTS: There was no difference between young and adult animals in bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocytic system organs. The mean percentage uptake by spleen and liver of animals in the control group was higher than that observed for animals with splenic implants. However, bacteria uptake in the lung was higher in the splenic implant group than in the control group. Although spleen bacteria uptake in the control group animals has been higher than that of animals in the splenic implant group, the remnant bacteria in the bloodstream was similar. Animals submitted to isolated total splenectomy showed higher bacteria remnant in the bloodstream than animals of the control group or the group submitted to total splenectomy combined with splenic autotransplantation. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that autogenous splenic implant is efficacious in bacteria depuration in rats, by means of their macrophages phagocytosis. In addition, it does not modify bacteria removal function of liver and lung.
Spleen; Sepsis; Splenectomy; Phagocytosis; Escherichia coli; Rats, wistar
