Chemical sclerosis of the gallbladder. An experimental study in pigs of the effect of absolute ethanol and polidocanol on gallbladder epithelium.

Chemical ablation of the gallbladder with absolute ethanol and polidocanol 3% was attempted in 23 and 10 pigs, respectively, after open transhepatic cholecystostomy. Absolute ethanol caused complete necrosis of the gallbladder epithelium in 10 pigs and partial necrosis with focally present gallbladder epithelium in 9. An intact epithelium was observed in 4 pigs but it was not possible to determine whether this epithelium was the original one, not affected by the ethanol, or regenerated after previous damage. Gallbladders with hemorrhage and hydrops were frequently encountered. Gallbladders treated with polidocanol all had an intact epithelium.