Relationships between fasting and postprandial pancreaticoduodenal pressures, pancreatic secretion, and duodenal volume flow in the dog.

We have developed a canine model which allows simultaneous quantification of pancreatic enzyme outputs, duodenal volume flow, and pancreatic and duodenal pressures under physiological circumstances. Twelve studies on 4 conscious healthy dogs demonstrated that mean fasting pancreatic pressure was 5 to 10 cm H2O higher than mean fasting duodenal pressure. Furthermore, 8 min after ingestion of a meal, both the pancreatic and the duodenal pressure increased. Surprisingly, the mean duodenal pressure was higher than the mean pancreatic pressure 20 min after feeding. This relationship lasted for 30 min. Lastly, elevation of postprandial pancreatic pressure occurred concomitantly with increased pancreatic enzyme output, and duodenal pressure increased with increased duodenal volume flow. The observed large postprandial duodenal volume flows associated with duodenal pressures greater than pancreatic duct pressures may favor reflux of duodenal contents into the pancreatic duct. These relationships may be important in the pathogenesis of postprandial pancreatitis and in the induction of pancreatic cancer.