Effects of enflurane on splanchnic circulation.

A brief summary of the anatomy and physiology of the splanchnic circulation is presented. The influence of 1 MAC enflurane anaesthesia on splanchnic circulation and oxygenation was studied in 10 dogs. Superior mesenteric arterial, portal venous and hepatic arterial blood flows decreased less than mean arterial blood pressure, due to reductions in superior mesenteric arterial, preportal vascular and hepatic arterial resistances. It is suggested that these reactions within the splanchnic circulation are mainly dependent on normal autoregulative responses elicited by the fall in blood pressure. Oxygen consumption of the preportal tissues and the liver was unchanged as a result of increased extraction of oxygen.