Sevoflurane reduced but isoflurane maintained hepatic blood flow during anesthesia in man.

The indocyanine green (ICG) clearance rate (K) and estimated total hepatic blood flow (THBF) were studied by the single injection technique. The THBF was estimated from the calculated circulating blood volume and the fixed extraction rate. The blood concentration of ICG was determined by the finger piece technique. Twenty-seven patients were randomly divided into three groups of nine and received 67% nitrous oxide, 33% oxygen, and the following volatile anesthetics: 0.8% halothane, 1.2% isoflurane, or 1.7% sevoflurane. ICG (0.5 mg·kg) was administered intravenously and K was determined three times following the injection. The K value in the halothane and sevoflurane groups decreased significantly 1 h after induction of anesthesia: from 0.188±0.048 to 0.142±0.029 in the halothane group and from 0.178±0.027 to 0.155±0.021 in the sevoflurane group. There was no significant change in the K value in the isoflurane group throughout the study.