Pancreatic
trauma (PT) is a severe
abdominal injury that is often combined with multiple organ injury. It is a severe disease that is difficult to diagnose and has a high mortality rate, particularly for grade III PT. The pathogenesis, disease progress and complications have not been fully investigated due to the lack of a reliable animal model. To address this, a Beagle model of grade III PT was established in the present study using a procedure involving
rupture of the main pancreatic duct. Peripancreatic effusions and the degree of pancreatic damage were examined by routine ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Also,
ascites were collected for the examination of
amylase and
lipase levels, and whole blood samples were collected for the analysis of
amylase,
lipase,
C-reactive protein (CRP),
interleukin (IL)-6 and
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in the serum. Urine samples were also collected for the examination of
trypsinogen activation peptide (TAP). In addition, the pancreas was sectioned and stained with
hematoxylin and
eosin. In comparison with routine ultrasound, CEUS showed a large area of focal
trauma, with a depth greater than half of the anteroposterior diameter of the pancreas, with a clear boundary, clear capsular
rupture and
trauma induced by active
bleeding. The volume of
ascites peaked at 48 h post-
trauma and decreased thereafter.
Amylase and
lipase levels in the
ascites were elevated at 24 h post-
trauma and significantly decreased at 48 and 72 h post-
trauma (P<0.01). In addition, serum
amylase and
lipase levels increased to peak levels at 48 h post-
trauma and then decreased (P<0.05), while serum CRP,
IL-6 and TNF-α levels peaked at 24 h post-
trauma and then decreased (P<0.05). Urinary TAP levels also peaked at 24 h post-
trauma and subsequently decreased (P<0.05). At 72 h post-
trauma, the pancreatic cells were loosely distributed, with damaged acini, hyperchromatic nuclei and severe inflammatory cell invasion. These results indicated that the Beagle model of grade III PT was satisfactorily established, and that CEUS is potentially useful as an auxiliary diagnosis method for PT. This animal model may be useful for studying the pathogenesis, disease progress and complications of PT.