Blocking of the intrahepatic blood circulation. II.

Abstract

In previous work it was found that a relatively small collateral blood supply by the phrenic arteries mainly was adequate to maintain the liver following ligation of the hepatic artery and the portal vein. In order to demonstrate the pathways of the collaterals, normal dogs and dogs that had survived ligation of either the hepatic artery or the portal vein for some time were used. A plastic dissolved in acetone that gelled with water, or mineral oil, or red lead dye suspension, was used for injection. The acetone content of the plastic medium produced toxic reactions. The media were injected into branches of the intact portal vein or into the intact hepatic artery, or into the hepatic artery or the portal vein above the ligature. Blocking of the intrahepatic branches of the hepatic artery caused liver necrosis in every instance, while blocking of the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein was tolerated. Thus, blocking of branches of the hepatic artery demonstrates that the essential collateral arterial blood supply had been interrupted.