Prethoracic omentopexy in rats with experimentally induced portal hypertension.

The effectiveness of prethoracic omentopexy was tested in an experimental study performed upon rats. Cirrhosis was induced by injecting carbon tetrachloride three months before the omentopexy procedure. Biochemical effects were studied together with sequential measurements of portal vein pressure and portograms before and after omentopexy. The procedure provides significant portal decompression by the 15th postoperative day with the presence of functioning portosystemic communications between the omental and internal mammary veins.