Biomaterial Database

The role of altered extrahepatic biliary function in the pathogenesis of gallstones after vagotomy. 1981

H A Pitt, and J E Doty, and J J Roslyn, and L DenBesten

Several clinical studies have documented an increased incidence of gallstones after truncal vagotomy. Previous laboratory studies, however, have failed to establish a clear mechanism for this phenomenon. Whereas lithogenic bile is a prerequisite for cholesterol cholelithiasis, gallbladder stasis has also been shown to be a critical factor in stone formation. We tested the hypothesis that truncal vagotomy alters extrahepatic biliary function by performing either sham laparotomy or truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty in the prairie dog. After operation, animals were fed a trace-cholesterol (nonlithogenic) diet for 3 months. In acute terminal experiments gallbladder bile was collected for determination of lithogenic index (LI). Resistance to flow through the sphincter of Oddi and cystic duct as well as gallbladder compliance were then determined. Sphincter of Oddi resistance was significantly elevated at 3 months after vagotomy (P less than 0.03). Cystic duct resistance, however, did not change significantly after vagotomy and pyloroplasty. Gallbladder compliance was significantly reduced in vagotomized animals (P less than 0.03). Gallbladder bile was unsaturated in both sham (LI = 0.47 +/- 0.09) and vagotomized animals (LI = 0.52 +/- 0.12), and gallstones did not develop in either group. Increased resistance to flow through the sphincter of Oddi after truncal vagotomy may represent the initial step leading to a gallbladder dilatation, bile stasis, and, ultimately, gallstone formation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011708	Pylorus	The region of the STOMACH at the junction with the DUODENUM. It is marked by the thickening of circular muscle layers forming the pyloric sphincter to control the opening and closure of the lumen.	Pyloric Sphincter,Pyloric Sphincters,Sphincter, Pyloric,Sphincters, Pyloric
D002769	Cholelithiasis	Presence or formation of GALLSTONES in the BILIARY TRACT, usually in the gallbladder (CHOLECYSTOLITHIASIS) or the common bile duct (CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS).	Gallstone Disease,Cholelithiases,Gallstone Diseases
D004032	Diet	Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal.	Diets
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001651	Cholestasis, Extrahepatic	Impairment of bile flow in the large BILE DUCTS by mechanical obstruction or stricture due to benign or malignant processes.	Bile Duct Obstruction, Extrahepatic,Biliary Stasis, Extrahepatic,Extrahepatic Cholestasis,Extrahepatic Biliary Stasis
D001652	Bile Ducts	The channels that collect and transport the bile secretion from the BILE CANALICULI, the smallest branch of the BILIARY TRACT in the LIVER, through the bile ductules, the bile ducts out the liver, and to the GALLBLADDER for storage.	Bile Duct,Duct, Bile,Ducts, Bile
D012377	Rodentia	A mammalian order which consists of 29 families and many genera.	Beavers,Capybaras,Castor Beaver,Dipodidae,Hydrochaeris,Jerboas,Rodents,Beaver,Capybara,Hydrochaeri,Jerboa,Rodent,Rodentias
D014628	Vagotomy	The interruption or removal of any part of the vagus (10th cranial) nerve. Vagotomy may be performed for research or for therapeutic purposes.	Vagotomies