Pressures in the Common Hepatic Duct of the Rat

Abstract

Summary

1) A method for recording pressure within the common hepatic duct of the rat with a strain-gauge manometer is described. Measurements of pressure in the common hepatic duct were made on a series of fasting rats with normal livers, cirrhosis or passive venous congestion of the liver, and these were analyzed statistically. The higher mean secretory pressure in the rat with cirrhosis over that in the rat with normal liver and with passive venous congestion is statistically significant. 2) Secretory pressure in rats after inhalation of carbon tetrachloride vapor fell slightly but significantly. 3) The duodenal-end pressure in the common hepatic duct was related to findings on simultaneous recordings of biliary pressure and gastric and duodenal motility. This pressure was significantly higher in rats with chronic venous congestion of the liver than in normal or cirrhotic animals. The lower end of the common hepatic duct probably has some sphincteric action in the rat. 4) Intravenous injection of chlorpromazine hydrochloride (thorazine) produced no effects on pressure in the common hepatic duct in normal rats.