Serum Lipase Activity in Experimental Acute Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis

Abstract

Ten mongrel dogs, with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis induced surgically by injn. of bile into the major pancreatic duct followed by ligation of the duct, uniformly showed elevations in serum lipase activity on the 3d or 4th post-operative day ranging from 22 to 445% over preoperative values. The increase in lipase activity of the blood was seen more regularly than in patients. The relatively wide range of serum lipase activity in normal dogs makes it impossible to establish an arbitrary serum lipase ac- tivity as diagnostic of the presence or absence of pancreatitis.