The response of the liver to implantation of artifical bile ducts

Abstract

The response of dog's liver to the implantation of “artificial bile ducts” made of silicone rubber or of silver has been studied in dogs whose bile duct had been ligated. The purpose of the investigation was to see if an experimental obstructive jaundice could be alleviated by an artificial bile duct, as has been claimed for the congenital biliary atresia in infants, and to study in detail the histological response of the liver to such an implant. The results of this study show that the implantation of cannulas provokes an encapsulating fibrous tissue response that becomes denser as time progresses. Neither proliferation of bile ducts nor their penetration into the tissue capsule has been observed. This makes it unlikely that a functioning artificial bile duct could be achieved by this method. The response of dog's liver to the implantation of “artificial bile ducts” made of silicone rubber or of silver has been studied in dogs whose bile duct had been ligated. The purpose of the investigation was to see if an experimental obstructive jaundice could be alleviated by an artificial bile duct, as has been claimed for the congenital biliary atresia in infants, and to study in detail the histological response of the liver to such an implant. The results of this study show that the implantation of cannulas provokes an encapsulating fibrous tissue response that becomes denser as time progresses. Neither proliferation of bile ducts nor their penetration into the tissue capsule has been observed. This makes it unlikely that a functioning artificial bile duct could be achieved by this method.