Kidney function in the severely jaundiced dog.

An attempt was made to prepare experimental models of jaundice in order to study the relation between jaundice and kidney function. Choledochal ligation and surgical division as a conventional means of achieving this aim proved useless in satisfying our requirements. The use of the choledochocaval shunt technique that we devised resulted in successful preparation of models of severe jaundice with a resultant total bilirubin value of 19.2 +/- 8.0 mg/dl at 1 week and 23.9 +/- 8.7 mg/dl 3 weeks postoperatively. Through these models the relation between jaundice and kidney function and the resultant histopathologic features of the kidneys were studied. In the animal models a significantly lower value was obtained for both glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow at 1 and 3 weeks postoperatively than in the other groups (undergoing choledochal ligation with division and unilateral nephrectomy, respectively). Histopathologic examination of the kidneys of these animals revealed no marked changes in the glomeruli or Bowman's capsule. Characteristic histopathologic features of the kidneys included swelling and exfoliation of epithelial cells because of reabsorption of bile in the proximal tubules and disintegration of the cell membrane.