Objective: To develop a simple, reversible, reproducible model of obst
ructive jaundice in rats that could also be used for studies of infect
ion associated with foreign bodies in the biliary tract. Design: Open
study. Setting: University of Lund, Sweden. Material: 18 Male Sprague-
Dawley rats. Intervention: Laparotomy and the placing of a ''miniocclu
der'' (developed in this laboratory) around the common bile duct. This
was left in place for five days. Main outcome measures: Results of st
andard liver function tests measured on days 0, 5, and 12; the degree
of obstruction seen on cholangiography on day 12; and changes in body
weight on days 5 and 12. Results: Activities of hepatic enzymes and pl
asma bilirubin concentrations were significantly increased on day 5 co
mpared with day 0 (p < 0.01 in each case), but had returned to the ref
erence range by day 12. Cholangiography (n = 10) showed that even thou
gh the part of the common bile duct proximal to the minioccluder was d
ilated the distal part was of normal diameter and patent. By 5 days th
e animals had lost 5% of their mean body weight, but this increased by
8% during the 7 days after relief of the occlusion (day 12). Conclusi
on: We have developed a reversible, reproducible model of obstructive
jaundice in rats, which can be used for the study of topics related to
obstructive jaundice and in particular infection associated with fore
ign bodies in the biliary tract.