CINEFLUOROGRAPHIC AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC OBSERVATION OF MOTILITY OF THE CHOLEDOCHODUODENAL JUNCTION IN RABBITS

To clarify activity of the choledocho-duodenal junction the present study was made using sixty rabbits. A polyethylene tube with Y-connector to the common bile duct toward the duodenum. The tube was used for two purposes, one measuring the intraductal pressure variation of the terminal common bile duct, the other infusing the contrast medium into the common bile duct for the cinecholangiography. Two electrodes were sewn in the Oddi's muscle and duodenum respectively.Electrical activity of the Oddi's muscle and duodenum, intraductal pressure of the terminal common bile duct and the bile flow were simmultaneously recorded on a 16 mm cine film.The results are summerized as follows:1. The intraductal pressure tracing of the terminal common bile duct was divided in two phases, the one is large pressure waves and the other, slow phases of pressure.2. The large waves appeared always in accordance with the electrical activity of the Oddi's muscle and the slow phases accorded with the electrical activity of the duodenum.3. Bile flow was interrupted at the terminal portion of the common bile duct when the appearance of the large pressure waves, that is, electrical activity of Oddi's muscle was observed.4. Bile flow was poured into the duodenum by the appearance of the slow phaSes or pressure, that is, the electrical activity of the duodenum was observed.From these findings the author concluded that the muscle of Oddi has a sphincteric mechanism and acts independently of the activity of the duodenal wall muscle in rabblt.