Biliary and pancreatic secretory component of the migrating myoelectric complex in the pig. Effect on intraduodenal pH.

The aim of the present study in the pig was to describe the biliary and pancreatic secretory component of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) during the interdigestive period and after feeding, and to examine the effects of the extracorporal diversion of biliary or pancreatic secretions on the MMC and on the cyclical variation of intraduodenal pH. In a first trial six pigs (50.6 +/- 1.6 kg) were fitted with a permanent catheter in the common bile duct (3 pigs) or in the pancreatic duct (3 pigs) to control the flow of these secretions. They also had a duodenal catheter to return the secretions, and antral and duodenal electrodes for simultaneous recording of motility in fasting conditions. In a second trial ten pigs (50.8 +/- 1.5 kg) underwent a similar surgical preparation (5 bile duct and 5 pancreatic duct fistulations). They had, in addition, a duodenal T-shaped cannula (19 cm distal to the pylorus) allowing continuous intraluminal pH recording parallel to the motility recording. Experiments included 4 situations: secretions returned under fed or fasted conditions; by-passed secretions in fed or fasted pigs. The flow of bile and pancreatic juice was very high during irregular spiking activity phases (ISA), peaking at the beginning of regular spiking activity phases (RSA); it was minimal during quiescent phases. The duration of the duodenal MMC and of its 3 constitutive phases was not modified by total extracorporal diversion of bile or pancreatic secretion either in the fed or fasted state. During the interdigestive period the pH was significantly reduced under bile diversion (quiescence: 6.17 vs 7.15; ISA: 4.91 vs 5.94; RSA: 5.40 vs 6.52) as well as under pancreatic juice diversion (quiescence: 5.56 vs 7.18; ISA: 4.21 vs 5.97; RSA: 5.14 vs 6.72). In fed pigs only bile diversion resulted in a small acidification during the postprandial pattern (5.07 vs 5.44) and the consecutive MMC cycles (quiescence: 5.81 vs 6.61; ISA: 4.66 vs 4.92; RSA: 5.11 vs 5.78). Nevertheless the periodicity of pH variation along the MMC cycle was unaffected in bile or pancreatic juice-deprived animals. It is concluded that a true biliary and pancreatic secretory component of MMC exists in the pig, and that these 2 secretions strongly contribute to the neutralization of the duodenal contents. However, the major determinant of the cyclical variation of the intraduodenal pH appears to be the periodicity of the acid gastric outflow.