[An experiment of 125I radioactive pancreatic duct stents implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and safety of radioactive pancreatic duct stents implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy.


METHODS
Different doses of 125I radioactive pancreatic duct stents were implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy. Blood tests were conducted before and after implantation. 14, 30 and 60 days after implantation of the radioactive stents, the pigs were euthanized in batch. All animals underwent post mortem examination to exclude intra-abdominal hemorrhage, pancreatic fistula or peritonitis. During autopsy, the liver, bile ducts, head of the pancreas, stomach and duodenum were examined for perforation, stricture or dilation and damage of the surrounding structures.


RESULTS
Fourteen pigs were implanted with pancreatic duct stents by endoscopic procedures. There was no effusion, hemorrhage or necrosis in the adjacent duodenum, stomach, liver or right kidney. The normal morphological structures of the duct of Wirsung disappeared in all the treated pigs. Histopathological examination revealed that the stents were surrounded by necrotic tissue and outside fibrous tissue. During the follow-up period, the width of outside fibrous tissue gradually increased. There were no serious abnormalities noted in the blood tests after implantation.


CONCLUSIONS
It is indicated that the radioactive stents are safe in all the different dose groups. For future clinical application, it is feasible to design a special radioactive stent for each patient according to the size, shape and position of the pancreatic tumor.
Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Zhen-Zhai
ZZ
Cai
Yan
Y
Liu
Jun-Lou
JL
Liu
Xiao-Hua
XH
Man
Hong-Yu
HY
Wu
Jing
J
Jin
Zhen-Dong
ZD
Jin
Yan-Fang
YF
Gong
Jun
J
Gao
Zhao-Shen
ZS
Li
D000818:Animals; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004724:Endoscopy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D015607:Stents; D013552:Swine
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes