Pancreatic hypersecretion in dogs with obstructive jaundice.

We examined the hypersecretory function of the isolated, blood-perfused pancreas of dogs with experimentally obstructive jaundice. There was no difference in basal pancreatic secretion between control dogs and obstructively jaundiced dogs. Secretin- or pancreozymin-stimulated increase in total values for pancreatic juice flow, bicarbonate, protein and amylase were greater in dogs with obstructive jaundice than in control dogs; however, concentrations of bicarbonate, protein and amylase were unchanged in each group. Acetylcholine-stimulated increase in total values and concentrations of these factors were the same in dogs with obstructive jaundice and controls. These data suggest that hypersensitivity of the pancreas to secretin and pancreozymin may be one of the main mechanisms of pancreatic hypersecretion.