Radical splenopancreatectomy with duodenal loop conservation in rats.

In an attempt to find a reproducible method of total splenopancreatectomy (TSP) with duodenal loop conservation in rats, we used the technique recently described by S. Houry and M. Huguier (Eur. Surg. Res. 15: 328, 1983) but were not able to induce a true diabetes. We therefore developed a more radical splenopancreatectomy (RSP) in rats and compared this technique with the TSP. RSP involves a more extensive dissection of the common bile duct, a short choledocoduodenal anastomosis, and total excision of the retroportal pancreatic lobules with the aid of a dissecting microscope. In rats who had undergone the TSP technique, blood glucose levels were maximal 8 hr after operation (270 +/- 16 mg/dl), and thereafter recovered baseline values. In contrast, after the RSP technique all the rats became diabetic as documented by persistent hyperglycemia (347 +/- 20 mg/dl at 8 hr, P = 0.01 compared to TSP; 500 +/- 20 mg/dl at 8 hr, P less than 0.0001). Eight hours after the operation, blood lipase levels increased more significantly after TSP than after RSP (847 +/- 247 IU/liter and 130 +/- 37 IU/liter, respectively, P = 0.01), and then decreased to 92 +/- 19 IU/liter at 24 hr in the TSP group and less than or equal to 30 IU/liter in the RSP group (P = 0.003), suggesting a more radical dissection of pancreatic tissue with the RSP technique. At sacrifice at 48 hr, no complications were found with either technique on macroscopic and microscopic examination, except for marked gastric distension with RSP. A third group of rats underwent RSP and were followed until natural death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)