Total hepatectomy and hepatic vascular exclusion in the rat: a comparison, with special reference to the influence of body temperature.

Abstract

1. The effects of two procedures for dehepatization, total hepatectomy and complete hepatic vascular exclusion were compared in the rat, and the influence of decreasing the body temperature from 37.5 degrees to 35.5 degrees C on the course of dehepatization was evaluated. 2. The duration of survival after total hepatectomy was 5.75 +/- SD 0.67 h at 37.5 degrees C and 8.51 +/- 0.78 h at 35.5 degrees C (P less than 0.001). The duration of survival after complete hepatic vascular exclusion was 5.61 +/- 1.06 h at 37.5 degrees C and 8.30 +/- 0.70 h at 35.5 degrees C (P less than 0.001). 3. It is concluded that (a) the duration of survival does not differ after total hepatectomy and after complete vascular exclusion, which suggests that substances released by the necrotic liver have no influence on the course of dehepatization, and (b) the body temperature has an influence on the course of dehepatization and must be carefully monitored in the comparison of the different procedures for hepatization and in the assessment of experimental therapeutic methods for acute liver failure.