ORTHOTOPIC RAT-LIVER TRANSPLANTATION AND BILE-DUCT RECONSTRUCTION BY A SPLINT TECHNIQUE

The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of bile duct reconstruction by a splint technique, a method which has not been suf ficiently researched in animals after liver transplantation. Three exp erimental groups were set up: I = control, sham operation; II = bile d uct reconstruction; III = orthotopic rat liver transplantation (ORLT). After bile duct reconstruction, serum levels of ASAT and ALAT in grou p II revealed a peak on the first postoperative day. The transplanted animals (group III) showed a second peak in liver enzyme levels on the fifth postoperative day; it was significantly higher than in group II . Serum bilirubin was more elevated in the transplant group, with a pe ak on day 7. Morphological investigations at the end of surgery reveal ed only intralobular necrosis and reactive changes in the liver capsul e (group II); after transplantation (group III), there was also inters titial and intracellular edema, fatty degeneration and disintegration of the sinusoidal lining. One month later, necrosis, bile duct prolife ration, cholestasis, cholangitis and vascular alterations were found i n groups II and III. Furthermore, an increased rate of hepatocellular and bile duct proliferation was observed. These findings are partly du e to the bile duct reconstruction. We recommend that a bile duct recon struction control group should be included in ORLT experiments.