By-passing the sphincter of Oddi does not affect gallbladder emptying in the pig

A study of the relationship between bile secretion and nutrition in the pig requires a complete and continuous collection of the bile and its reinfusion to the animal. In most of the studies performed in different species, bile has been directly reinfused into the duodenum, leading to the exclusion of the sphincter of Oddi from the biliary pathway. It has been postulated that such an exclusion could inhibit gallbladder emptying. The aim of the present work was to study postprandial gallbladder emptying in the pig, depending on the site of bile reinfusion, i.e. the duodenum or the lower bile duct. The gallbladder bile was coloured with indocyanine green (ICG) and marker secretion was recorded after a test-meal. The results showed that after meal intake, the gallbladder emptied over a similar period of time and according to similar kinetics, whatever the site of bile reinfusion.