Abstract
Portal blood consists of mesenteric and splenic veinous blood. In order to determine which one is more important in maintaining liver functions, canine models of a splenocaval shunt (SC shunt) and small bowel autotransplantation (partial mesocaval shunt, MC shunt) which diverts small bowel venous outflow into the systemic circulation and leaves the gastric, duodenal, pancreatic and colonic venous outflow undisturbed was produced, and metabolic changes of the two models was compared. There was no difference in serum amino acid and ammonia levels between the two models. But amount of hepatic ATP in the MC shunt model is lower compared to the control and the SC shunt model. These data suggest that venous blood supply from the small intestine may be more important in maintaing ATP amount in the liver. Therefore, portal drainage, which reestablishes the physiological route of venous outflow, may be more preferable in small bowel transplantation.
