[Damage to the epithelium of the pancreatic duct following pancreatography (author's transl)].

Following pancreatography with x-ray contrast-medium used for clinical ERP the epithelium of the pancreatic duct was examined histologically, under the scanning electron and under the transmission electron microscope in 15 cats. Immediately following pancreaticography severe edematous lesions of the epithelium are to be seen, e. g. loss of microvilli, acute apical edema of the cells, single-cell-necrosis and erosive defects. 24 hours after pancreaticography some of the animals still manifest high-grade hydropic damage to the ductal epithelium, including rupture of the apical cell-membrane focal lysis of cytoplasm, irreversible mitochondrial lesions and initial degeneration of the nucleus. In the morphogenesis of such lesions in addition to the mechanical stressing of the pancreatic duct system and the physical and chemical properties of the contrast-medium, in particular an eventual damage to the Papilla Vateri with consecutive lowering of the emptying of the ducts, play an important role. By administering secretin to accelerate the emptying of the duct system, damage to the ductal epithelium can largely be avoided by shortening the duration of contact of the contrast medium with the epithelium.