BACKGROUND: Pancreaticobiliary maljunction is a high risk factor of pancreatitis and biliary tract cancer. How this mal-junction affects the liver remains obscure. This study aimed to examine the effects of pancreaticobiliary maljunction on the liver, pancreas and gallbladder in a cat model.
METHODS: A model of choledocho-pancreatic side-to-side ductal anastomosis was created in ten cats.Before the procedure, a small piece of tissue from the liver, pancreas and gallbladder was collected as a control. The common channel formation was checked by cholecystography. The livers, pancreases and gall-bladders of these cats were harvested for histological examina-tion. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the gallbladder was examined with immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Seven of the 10 cats survived for 6 months after surgery. The color of the liver was darker in the PBM model than the control specimen, with nodules on the surface. His-tological examination showed ballooning changes and inflam-matory infiltrations and the histopathological score increased significantly (P<0.05). Also, mitochondria swelling and lipid droplet in cytoplasm were observed under an electron micro-scope. The pancreas also appeared darker in the PBM model than the control specimen and dilated pancreatic ducts were found in three cats. Histopathological examination revealed vascular proliferation and inflammatory infiltration with nu-merous neutrophils. Gallbladder epithelial cells were featured by expanded endoplasmic reticulum, increased intercellular space and cellular nucleus deformation. The positive cells of proliferating cell nuclear antigen were increased significantly (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that pancreatico-biliary maljunction can lead to the injuries of the liver, pancreas and gallbladder.