Experimental study on hepatic inflow occlusion in rabbits

To evaluate the effect of hepatic inflow occlusion on the liver remnant, three methods of inflow occlusion of the right outside lobe of liver, which was finally resected, were performed in 30 rabbits. The mortality rate of 12 animals (6 in Group I and 6 in Group II) undergone 30 minutes of portal triad clamping (PTC) and selective hepatic artery reserving (SHAR) was both 66.7%. No death occurred in Group III (PTC, n = 6) and IV (SHAR, n = 6) for 20 minutes of hepatic ischemia, but with an irreversible damage to the hepatocytes. The level of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in Groups III and IV animals rose to 282.17 U/L and 155.33 U/L on the first postoperative day and thereafter declining slowly to the preoperative level on the 5th and 3rd days, respectively. In Group V with selective hemihepatic vascular occlusion (SHHVO) serum GPT showed only temporary mild rise (112.83 U/L) on the first postoperative day and no hepatic pathologic change appeared. It is obvious that the function of the liver remnant can be best preserved during hepatic resection under SHHVO.