ELECTROCHOLEDOCHOGRAM: A STUDY OF THE ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTIVITY OF THE COMMON BILE DUCT IN THE DOG

Ahmed Shafik

Department of Surgery and Experimental Research, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Received 10/3/97 Accepted 11/3/97

2. INTRODUCTION

The common bile duct (CBD) transmits the bile from the gall bladder (GB) to the duodenum through the sphincter of Oddi (SO). It is lined by a mucous membrane that consists of simple columnar epithelium. The lamina propria is thin and surrounded by a smooth muscle layer that becomes thicker near the duodenum and, in the intramural portion, forms the sphincter of Oddi (1,2).

Like the rest of the gut (3-12), the CBD is assumed to have electromechanical activity which might share in its motility. Electrograms could be recorded for the different parts of the gut. Percutaneous electrograms have been registered for the stomach (13), the rectum (14) and sigmoid colon (15, 16) in normal and pathologic conditions. They have been used as investigative tools for the diagnosis of various pathologic lesions.

The purpose of the current communication was to study the electromechanical activity of the CBD aiming at a better understanding of the mechanism of bile transport through the CBD as well as the characterization of a normal electrocholedochographic pattern. The latter might act as a standard for the diagnosis of the different pathologic conditions of the CBD, especially those affecting its motility. The study was approved by our Faculty Review Board.