Comparative studies of the healing process after recurrent edematous and hemorrhagic pancreatitis in rats

This study reports the serial histologic changes of the healing process of relapsing edematous and hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis induced in rats by the close duodenal loop. Serum amylase levels in single, second and third attacks of edematous acute pancreatitis, and single and second attacks of hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis were elevated significantly compared with that of preligation levels (P less than 0.01), but the concentrations were similar in the five groups. However, the histologic findings were different. The results showed that repeated attacks may lead to more obvious damage to the pancreas compared with the first attack of either edematous or hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis. After elimination of causal factors the single attack of edematous acute pancreatitis healed completely but the destructive and hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis usually healed with scarring. Repeated attacks of edematous acute pancreatitis may lead to more chronic pancreatic damage and repeated attacks of destructive and hemorrhagic acute pancreatitis healed with more chronic pancreatic damage than that of repeated attacks of edematous acute pancreatitis.