BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL-CHANGES THAT CHARACTERIZE RECOVERY FROMNECROTIZING BILIARY PANCREATITIS IN THE OPOSSUM

The events that characterise recovery from severe biliary pancreatitis have not been defined. This study used a reversible model of necrotis ing pancreatitis, induced by obstructing the opossum common bile pancr eatic duct (CBPD), to evaluate this phenomenon. The CBPD of opossums w as obstructed with a balloon tipped catheter for five days and then de compressed by removal of the catheter. Recovery was evaluated 0-90 day s after relief of obstruction. Serum bilirubin and amylase values rapi dly declined, reaching control values 7-14 days after removal of the o bstructing catheter. Pancreatic protein and amylase values were transi ently increased shortly after relief of obstruction but returned to co ntrol values 21 days after decompression. Pancreatic ornithine decarbo xylase activity and incorporation of [H-3]-thymidine into DNA were tra nsiently increased 14 days after duct decompression suggesting that re generation occurs at approximately that time. Foci of pancreatic necro sis involved roughly 40% of the gland at the time of decompression but these foci gradually disappeared and the gland resembled that of cont rol animals 60 days after decompression. Evidence of fibrosis or colla gen deposition in the pancreas was not noted at any time. These studie s show that recovery after necrotising biliary pancreatitis occurs com paratively rapidly and the restitution ad integrum occurs. Recovery fr om necrotising acute pancreatitis in this model is not associated with the development of chronic pancreatitis.