ANOMALOUS PANCREATICOBILIARY JUNCTION - REPORT OF A NEW EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

A model of anomalous pancreatico-biliary junction was developed and us ed to investigate a possible role in the development of choledochal cy st and tumors of the biliary tract, An anastomosis was constructed bet ween an isolated pancreas-duodenal segment and the gallbladder in 20 m inipigs, but the results did not show any subsequent dilatation of the biliary tract, although intestinal metaplasia was observed in 20% of the animals. The severity of the epithelial changes was proportional t o the duration of the experiment and may represent a premalignant chan ge, A critical review of all reported animal models of anomalous pancr eatico-biliary junction also is provided. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. S aunders Company.