Damage to the biliary tract of rabbits during warm or cold ischemia

Summary

Thirty-two rabbits were divided into 8 groups, 4 in each, according to different ischemic times, different preservation temperatures and presence or absence of biliary perfusion.

The intrahepatic bile ducts looked entirely normal in all animals. The degree of damage of the gall bladder was graded 4 in warm ischemia for 1 hour without biliary perfusion, and in warm ischemia for 2 hours with biliary perfusion, and in cold ischemia for 6–24 hours without biliary perfusion. The bladder damage was graded 0 in warm ischemia for 1 hour with biliary perfusion, and 0–1 in cold ischemia for 6–24 hours with biliary perfusion. Damage of the common bile duct was graded 2–3 in cold ischemia for 6 hours without biliary perfusion.

The biliary tract can be injured during ischemia, and the degree of damage depends on the ischemic time, preservation temperature and the amount of bile. Therefore, it is essential that the ischemic time be minimized as short as possible, the biliary tract be thoroughly perfused and the gall bladder be excised if necessary, during bloodless hepatectomy and liver transplantation.