Effect of pre- and posthepatic blood flow obstruction on the arterial and portal drainage of the liver in guinea pigs.

Experiments were performed on partly isolated livers of guinea pigs. The effects of partial obstruction of the portal inflow and hepatic outflow on the intrahepatic circulation were studied by 133Xe bolus technique after intraportal or intraarterial tracer injection. Partial obstruction of the vena cava results in a decrease of nutritive hepatic blood flow of 21%, whereas partial obstruction of portal inflow by a decrease of only 7%. The compensation for reduced portal inflow by increased arterial input is discussed.