Experimental Models of Pancreatitis in Rats

Several different experimental pancreatitis models have been described in the literature with varying success rates. In recent years, great advances have been achieved in our understanding of the inflammatory diseases of the pancreas and in their clinical management. Pancreatitis is a severe disease with high mortality. Clinical studies can bring some data about etiology, pathogenesis and the course of the disease. However, studies concerning early events of this disease and the new concepts of treatment cannot be performed on humans, due to ethical reasons. Animal models of acute pancreatitis have been developed to solve this problem. This book covers our experience in producing both acute and chronic pancreatitis in rats and summarizes the currently used experimental models of pancreatitis, their properties and clinical relevance, as well.