title: Orthotopic rat liver transplantation and bile duct reconstruction by a splint technique.
abstract: The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of bile duct reconstruction by a splint technique, a method which has not been sufficiently researched in animals after liver transplantation. Three experimental groups were set up: I = control, sham operation; II = bile duct reconstruction; III = orthotopic rat liver transplantation (ORLT). After bile duct reconstruction, serum levels of ASAT and ALAT in group II revealed a peak on the first postoperative day. The transplanted animals (group III) showed a second peak in liver enzyme levels on the fifth postoperative day; it was significantly higher than in group II. Serum bilirubin was more elevated in the transplant group, with a peak on day 7. Morphological investigations at the end of surgery revealed only intralobular necrosis and reactive changes in the liver capsule (group II); after transplantation (group III), there was also interstitial and intracellular edema, fatty degeneration and disintegration of the sinusoidal lining. One month later, necrosis, bile duct proliferation, cholestasis, cholangitis and vascular alterations were found in groups II and III. Furthermore, an increased rate of hepatocellular and bile duct proliferation was observed. These findings are partly due to the bile duct reconstruction. We recommend that a bile duct reconstruction control group should be included in ORLT experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schleimer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kranz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diller
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D009803:Sphincter of Oddi / Q000601:surgery; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
chemical_list: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin