[Pancreatic findings after ductal occlusion in rats. A histological and biochemical study]

By histological examination of the exocrine pancreas a triphasic reaction was proven in 46 rats of a wistar strain 1 hour up to 8 weeks after a transduodenal intraductal instillation of an alcoholic amino acid solution (Ethibloc). The first phase, due to both the incorporated substance by itself and an acutely increased intraductal pressure, consists in an interstitial edema with transition into a perilobular pancreatitis, a cytotoxic damage of the acinar and ductal epithelium with focal necrosis of parenchyma and fat-tissue, a sialangiitis and foreign body granulomas. In a second phase, produced by the occlusion of the duct system, a cystofibrosis of the lobuli developed within 7 to 14 days after a preceding hyperplasia and ectasia of intercalated ducts and an atrophy of acini. In a third phase of pancreas injury, starting at the 14th day of experiment, in non-atrophied lobuli a progressive intralobular, supposed autoimmunological, pancreatitis developed. Changes in the activity of serum lipase and -amylase correlated strongly with the morphological findings. The results suggest that at last a nearly complete burnout of the normal rat pancreas is possible by duct occlusion. But for the clinical application the danger of provocation of an acute relapse of chronic pancreatitis might be given by the presence of a secreting parenchyma.