Preliminary study of chemical bile duct embolization to treat hepatolithiasis in rabbits.
BACKGROUND
The high recurrence rate of hepatolithiasis is still a problem to be solved. The purpose of the present study was therefore to carry out a preliminary study of the practical value of chemical bile duct embolization (CBDE) to treat hepatolithiasis in rabbits.


METHODS
Chemical bile duct embolization was performed with phenol or absolute ethanol along with N-butyl-cyanoacrylate. The feasibility and effectiveness of CBDE for chemical hepatectomy was assessed by investigating histological changes, biochemistry for hydroxyproline and in situ hybridization for collagen I.


RESULTS
Histologically, the mucosal epithelia of the embolized bile ducts were entirely replaced by collagen fibers, thus effectively eradicating chronic proliferative cholangitis. Also of note, the diseased biliary duct lumens were completely filled with N-butyl-cyanoacrylate, thus effectively preventing calculus formation. The hepatocytes also disappeared completely in the periphery of the embolized lobe, demonstrating that the desired effects of chemical hepatectomy were achieved through CBDE. In a further comparison of embolizing agents, the phenol-cyanoacrylate embolized livers and bile ducts had a higher level of hydroxyproline and collagen I than those embolized with ethanol plus cyanoacrylate.


CONCLUSIONS
Chemical bile duct embolization is a promising approach to prevent the recurrence of hepatolithiasis and to achieve the effect of chemical hepatectomy.
Li
Fu Yu
FY
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Key Laboratory of Transplantation Engineering and Immunology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. lfy_74@vip.163.com
Cheng
Jing Qiu
JQ
Mao
Hui
H
Li
Ning
N
Jiang
Li Sheng
LS
He
Sheng
S
Cheng
Nan Sheng
NS
Dong
Jia Hong
JH
D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019800:Phenol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits
D024042:Collagen Type I; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019800:Phenol; D000431:Ethanol; D006909:Hydroxyproline