Experimental model of chronic pancreatic fistula in dogs.

The authors performed a chronic pancreatic fistula in the dog by a modified method of Herrera et al. in which one of the arms of a metal cannula is introduced into the stomach instead of the duodenum. This technique protects the duodenum, the main source of hormones acting on the pancreas in the digestive tract, from surgical trauma and its consequences. The duodenum is anastomosed end-to-end and the continuity of the digestive tract is restored. The model can next be used to study the action of drugs on the exocrine function of the pancreas.