Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of radioactive pancreatic duct stents implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy.
Methods: Different doses of 125I radioactive pancreatic duct stents were implanted in the pancreatic ducts of pigs by endoscopy. Blood tests were conducted before and after implantation. 14, 30 and 60 days after implantation of the radioactive stents, the pigs were euthanized in batch. All animals underwent post mortem examination to exclude intra-abdominal hemorrhage, pancreatic fistula or peritonitis. During autopsy, the liver, bile ducts, head of the pancreas, stomach and duodenum were examined for perforation, stricture or dilation and damage of the surrounding structures.
Results: Fourteen pigs were implanted with pancreatic duct stents by endoscopic procedures. There was no effusion, hemorrhage or necrosis in the adjacent duodenum, stomach, liver or right kidney. The normal morphological structures of the duct of Wirsung disappeared in all the treated pigs. Histopathological examination revealed that the stents were surrounded by necrotic tissue and outside fibrous tissue. During the follow-up period, the width of outside fibrous tissue gradually increased. There were no serious abnormalities noted in the blood tests after implantation.
Conclusion: It is indicated that the radioactive stents are safe in all the different dose groups. For future clinical application, it is feasible to design a special radioactive stent for each patient according to the size, shape and position of the pancreatic tumor.