Arterialization of the liver. III. Influence of systemic and portal pressure gradients following heterotopic partial liver transplantation.

Abstract

An acute study was designed to compare blood pressures across a heterotopically transplanted partial liver graft using arterialized and nonarterialized models. Eight partial liver transplants (PLT) were done in each group, using Wistar rats. The data gathered from them are the basis for the results obtained herein. Whereas there was no significant difference (P greater than 0.01) in inflow, outflow, or the pressure difference across the PLT between nonarterialized and arterialized groups, host portal venous pressures were significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in the arterialized group. A 1 mm arteriovenous fistula (AVF) was used to arterialize the PLTs in this study. It was proved that arterializing a PLT using a 1 mm AVF did not alter the pressure difference across the transplanted liver compared with the situation in the nonarterialized setting.