Effect of the Arterialized Portal Blood Flow on Liver Regeneration -An Experimental Study-

Kenso Honbo

The Second Department of Surgery, Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine

Two experimental groups, dogs with hepatectomy with or without portal blood arterialization, were studied from the aspects of hemodynamics and hepatic cell regeneration. Arterilization of the portal blood was accomplished with two surgical procedures, femoral arterio-venous and cavomesenteric venous shunt formation. The native portal blood flow was maintained. Fifty percent hepatectomized dogs with or without these shunts were managed under intravenous hyperalimentation for 72 hours. Hemodynamic changes were studied at pre- and post-operation, and at autopsy. At 72 hours after the operation, liver regeneration was estimated as the change in weight of the residual liver. The labeling index of liver cells obtained from counting S-phase hepatic cells stained by BrdU immunostaining was simultaneously pursed. Portal pressure was insignificantly elevated after shunt formation. The ratio of portal venous flow to cardiac output and portal venous PO₂ increased significantly. An increment in liver weight was seen in both dry and wet measurements at 72 hours after operation. The labeling index showed significant change. Liver with portal blood arterialization reveald prominent regeneration in comparison with hepatectomy alone. The experiment clarified that arterialization of the portal blood by means of shunt formation under maintenance of the native flow provided significant augmentation of liver cel regeneration. It is considered that this procedure is a useful method by which to rescue hepatic cell ischemia, and will become a tool to accelerate hepatic cell regeneration.

Key words
arterialaization of the portal blood, liver regeneration, portal blood flow diversion

Reprint requests
Kenso Honbo The Second Department of Surgery, Kagoshima University School of Medicine
8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890 JAPAN

Accepted
June 8, 1994

To read the PDF file you will need Abobe Reader installed on your computer.