Abstract
This study was designed to determine the safe range of the arterial blood flow rate into the portal vein through a catheter bypass under the condition of total vascular clamping at the hepatic hilus in mongrel dogs. A control group and 6 experimental groups were prepared according to the arterial blood flow rates through the bypass, 0, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the normal total hepatic blood flow volume. After 2 hours of bypass circulation, the dogs were sacrificed and the hepatic tissues of all groups were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Compared with the control group, ischemic changes were observed in the 0% and 10% groups, while there were no particular changes in the other groups. Edema in the Glisson's sheath was observed in the 75% and 100% groups, while there was no edema in the other groups. The results demonstrated that the lower limit of the arterial blood flow rate through a catheter bypass to mantain the hepatic structure was between 10% and 25% and the higher limit was between 50% and 75% of the normal total hepatic blood flow volume.
