Identification of cerebral response to balloon distention of the bile duct

AIM: To identify the brain loci that process human biliary sensation. METHODS: In 6 patients (age range: 42-74 years; 4 men), who underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), the distal biliary tract was stimulated by repeatedly inflating the balloon of the PTBD catheter so that it reached volumes that produced a definite painless sensation. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the cortical response to biliary sensation was examined. RESULTS: Biliary balloon stimulation elicited activation of the insular cortex, prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Biliary balloon stimulation evoked a cerebral cortical response detectable by fMRI. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.