Failure to induce selective cholestasis in the rat after long-term extrahepatic selective biliary obstruction.

Forty-eight hours after extra-hepatic selective biliary obstruction (SBO), there is evidence of cholestasis in the obstructed lobes (OL). However, some major ultrastructural features of cholestasis are missing. The aim of this work was to investigate the long-term effect of SBO. One month after surgery, and in comparison with sham-operated rats, bile flow, liver weight, and liver weight ratio of obstructed/nonobstructed lobes were normal. Furthermore, there was no evidence of cholestasis in OL by light and electron microscopy. Bile duct communications between obstructed and non-obstructed lobes were evidenced by Indian ink injection. In sham-operated rats, bile duct communications between ducts of the different lobes were involved in bile drainage. It appears, therefore, that the main reason for the lack of cholestasis 1 month after SBO is the drainage of bile from OL through accessory bile ducts.