Cholangiography in rabbits before and after papillotomy.

The gallbladder and the function of the sphincter of Oddi were studied after papillotomy (EPT) in New Zealand white rabbits. Intravenous cholangiography (IVC) was performed before and after papillotomy. After papillotomy, IVC showed gallbladder opacification in one of seven test animals, whereas gallbladder filling occurred in all six control animals. The bile ducts were not visualized in any of the test animals, whereas five of six controls showed contrast filling of the bile ducts. Reflux cholangiography was performed after EPT and showed free reflux of contrast from the duodenum to the bile ducts. These findings indicate that papillotomy results in the insufficiency of the sphincter mechanism of the ampulla of Vater, and hence intravenous cholangiography may not be valid for showing the gallbladder and the bile ducts after papillotomy.