[Pancreatic duct treatment in pancreas transplantation]

To determine the utility of injection of polymers to obliterate the pancreatic duct, we examined this method and others viz, pancreatico-duodenostomy, duct ligation, and the open duct method. We performed the pancreatic duct treatment on the left portion of the pancreas in dogs without any transplantation. The right portion of the pancreas was removed. We used Neoprene and Ethibloc as injected materials. One month after the operation, the polymer injected dogs showed the same endocrine function as the duct ligated and open duct ones. However, three months after the operation, endocrine function of the polymer injected dogs improved and was better than that of the other two groups which showed no changes. The endocrine function of the polymer injected dogs had remained stable for one year and was close to that of the optimal function of pancreatico-duodenostomy. Furthermore, after operation in the polymer injected dogs, the elevated serum amylase descended to normal level. This occurred much less rapidly in the other groups. The fibrosis of the polymer injected dogs' pancreas was completed by 3 months, while the dogs in the other groups still had some degenerated exocrine tissues. Rapid destruction of exocrine tissues, induced by the injection of the polymer, appears to encourage reconstruction of endocrine tissue.