Effects of truncal or highly selective vagotomy on the electron microscopic feature of the rabbit pancreas.

PURPOSE To perform a comparative study of two types of vagotomy: trunctal vagotomy (TV) and highly selective vagotomy (HSV) effects on pancreatic morphology assessed with light microscope and ultrastructural changes assessed with electron microscope in rabbits 30, 90 and 180 days after the vagotomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS The experiments were carried out on 89 male Popielno white rabbits, aged 4-6 months, 2.5 to 3.0 kg of body weight. On the 30th, 90th and 180th day after the vagotomy, rabbits were sacrificed and the pancreases were taken for the light and electron microscopic evaluation. RESULTS The regressive changes coexisting with adaptive like renewal of epithelial cells and mild interstitial fibrosis resulting from vagotomy were more pronounced in the early post-operative period and tended to normalize in the later post-operative one. All the changes seen in post-operative period were more prominent after TV than after HSV. CONCLUSIONS Both truncal and highly selective vagotomy affects evidently the morphology and ultrastructure of the pancreas in rabbits however the changes after the first procedure were more advanced than after the latter one. The intensity of the changes is highest early after these operations and tend to normalize in the later post-operative period.