Effect of indomethacin on gallbladder inflammation and contractility during acute cholecystitis

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine whether the prostaglandin synthase inhibitor indomethacin reverses the inflammation and abnormal gal lbladder contractility that occur after common bile! duct ligation (CBDL), a model of acute cholecystitis. Methods. Gallbladder muscle contractility was studied in vitro in normal, C BDL, and sham-operated guinea pigs. Animals were treated with saline or ind omethacin in vivo. Acetylcholine (ACh) was used to directly contract the mu scle and electric field stimulation (EFS) to activate intrinsic nerves, Hem atoxylin and eosin-stained slides of muscle strips were scored for inflamma tion. Results. CBDL in saline-treated animals increased the inflammation score an d decreased gallbladder muscle contractility to ACh and EFS. Indomethacin d ecreased the inflammation score and partly reversed the smooth muscle contr actile response to ACh 6 and 24 h after CBDL, but not at 48 h, Indomethacin did not reverse the CBDL-induced decrease in nerve-evoked contractions. Conclusion. Gallbladder inflammation and contractile dysfunction after CBDL are partly reversed with indomethacin at 6 and 24 h, but not at 48 h. This suggests that, early in the course of CBDL, the inflammation and contracti le dysfunction are, in part, prostaglandin-mediated, (C) 2001 Academic Pres s.