Chemical ablation of the gallbladder with sodium hypochlorite in an animal model

Abstract The cholecystectomy is the current treatment of the biliary lithiasis. Nevertheless there have been attempts in order to eliminate the gallbladder epithelium and to generate the sclerosis of the organ using chemical substances, heat and laser. Sodium hypochlorite and fibrin glue is proposed to achieve the ablation of the gallbladder mucosa and sclerosis. Thirty rabbits were divided into three groups of 10. Accessing surgically to the gallbladder, sodium hypochlorite was injected, afterward the same was done with fibrin glue to occlude the cystic duct and collapse the organ lumen, avoiding the bile reflux. In the control groups ethanol plus fibrin adhesive and physiological solution was used. In day 65 the animals were sacrificed and the result of the procedure was observed macroscopic and histologically. Eight of the gallbladders treated with sodium hypochlorite disappeared leaving a small subhepatic scar. There were no intra nor postoperative complications. In the group of the ethanol the result was successful only in one case, and with saline solution there was no ablation. A significant difference exists for the group treated with sodium hypochlorite plus fibrin glue compared to the ethanol plus fibrin adhesive group (p