Acute effects of partial hepatectomy on liver blood flow in the jaundiced rat

The aim of this study was to define the effects of hepatic resection on liver blood flow and portal pressure in the presence of obstructive jaundice. Liver blood flow and portal pressure were measured in 17 jaundiced animals (5 days bile duct ligation) and 16 control animals. A 70% liver resection with or without hepatic artery ligation was performed in the control animals. On day 5, the animals underwent a second operation. Hepatic artery ligation alone was performed in a group of control animals. In jaundiced rats there was a decrease in liver blood flow (1.24 +/- 0.23 ml/min per g vs. normal 1.91 +/- 0.38 ml/min per g, P < 0.01) and an increase in portal pressure (11.2 +/- 3.47 mmHg vs. normal 6.93 +/- 1.01 mmHg, P < 0.01). After partial hepatectomy, a significant increase in liver blood flow was observed in controls (2.44 +/- 0.74 ml/min per g, P < 0.01) but not in jaundiced rats. Hepatic artery ligation did not affect blood flow or portal pressure either before or after resection. Small but significant portal-systemic shunting was found in all jaundiced rats (2.19 +/- 2.1% vs. 0.026 +/- 0.015%, P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that partial hepatectomy results in a significant increase in total liver blood flow. Acute cholestasis appears to prevent this increase. Even in the early stages of obstructive jaundice in the rat, there were signs of portal-systemic shunts.