Intestinal migrating myoelectric complexes in rats with acute pancreatitis and bile duct ligation

Intestinal migrating myoelectric complexes (MMC) were studied in rats subjected to common bile duct ligation. Four pairs of bipolar electrodes were implanted on the jejunum and the ileum of 21 rats. Animals were allowed to recover 7 days before electrical recordings were made. Bile duct ligation at the entrance to the duodenum (low) or above the pancreas (high) or sham operation was performed. MMCs were recorded before and 48 and 72 hr after the operation in each animal. MMC intervals were unchanged following high ligation or sham operation. However, 48 hr after low bile duct ligation, the MMC interval (20.6 +/- 2.5 min) was significantly prolonged compared with that before ligation (14.0 +/- 1.2 min). Further prolonged intervals (28.4 +/- 4.2 min) were observed 72 hr after the ligation. There were no significant differences among the slow wave frequencies in any group of animals, being in the range of 34.1 +/- 1.1 to 36.3 +/- 1.0 cycles/min. Thus, the MMC pattern in this rat model may be affected by the development of acute pancreatitis. The mechanism(s) responsible for altering the MMC pattern are not known; however, hepatic biliary secretion alone does not appear to play a primary role.