(1) Department of Surgery, Hospital Alemán, Av. Pueyrredon 1640, C1118AAT Buenos Aires, Argentina;(2) Department of Radiology, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina;(3) Department of Pathology, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Abstract:
The repair of common bile duct injuries is a complex procedure with a significant rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality.
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of the autologous vein graft in replacement of the bile duct. Twelve
male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 350 +- 550 g were used in the study and were divided at random into two groups: the control
group (60) and the experimental group in which a 3-mm segment of the bile duct was resected and the biliary tract was replaced
by a segment of vein aided by stent (G1). Both groups were subdivided into pairs of rats to study at 30, 60, and 120 days.
All of the animals underwent radioisotope cholangiography, a repeat laparotomy, and blood tests for further pathologic study.
The clinical evaluation and biochemical nuclear medicine and pathologic studies showed no evidence of cholestasis. The histologic
study of the graft showed replacement of the endothelium by biliary-appearing epithelium. The use of an autologous vein graft
with a supporting stent proves to be a feasible and alternative procedure for bile duct reconstruction. Further experimental
studies should be carried out to validate these findings so they can be implemented in clinical cases.