AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 252, Issue 6 748-G754, Copyright © 1987 by American Physiological Society
Splanchnic hemodynamics in portal hypertensive dogs with portal fibrosis
S. Sugita, K. Ohnishi, M. Saito and K. Okuda
Splanchnic hemodynamics and portal systemic shunting were measured in eight
dogs with experimentally induced portal fibrosis and splenomegaly and in
six normal dogs by the radioactive microsphere technique. Portal fibrosis
and splenomegaly were produced by repeated intraportal injections of a
mixture of killed nonpathogenic Escherichia coli and dog anti-E. coli
serum. All E. coli-treated dogs developed intrahepatic presinusoidal portal
hypertension (portal vein pressure 15.8 +/- 5.4 vs. 7.5 +/- 0.9 mmHg in
controls, P less than 0.005; intrahepatic pressure 6.8 +/- 2.1 vs. 6.2 +/-
1.4 mmHg in controls, NS) within 2.5 mo, but no portal systemic shunt was
demonstrated at this time (2.1 +/- 1.5 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.4%, NS). Portal venous
inflow, the total blood flow within the portal system, was increased in the
treated dogs (27.6 +/- 6.6 vs. 18.2 +/- 2.5 ml X min-1 X kg body wt-1, P
less than 0.005). Total splanchnic arterial vascular resistance was reduced
in these dogs (26.0 +/- 10.4 vs. 40.9 +/- 4.6 dyn X s X cm-5 X 10(3), P
less than 0.01) as a result of reduced arteriolar resistance in the spleen,
jejunum and ileum, colon, and omentum, in all of which blood flow
increased. In these animals both portal venous flow (27.0 +/- 6.5 vs. 18.1
+/- 2.5 ml X min-1 X kg body wt-1, P less than 0.005) and intrahepatic
portal vascular resistance (1.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.3 dyn X s X cm-5 X
10(3), P less than 0.005) were increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
