Hepatic reticuloendothelial system dysfunction after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion.

The functional capacity of the hepatic reticuloendothelial system (RES) was studied under conditions of intestinal shock. Wistar rats underwent intestinal ischemia (60 min)-reperfusion or a sham procedure. One-half of each group received intravenous infusion of 2.6 x 10(-6) g/kg lipopolysaccharide B. Phagocytic clearance and phagocytic killing by the hepatic RES were quantitated using a double label bacteria clearance assay. Hepatic phagocytosis was unchanged 3 h after reperfusion of the ischemic intestine but hepatic killing was significantly decreased compared with the sham situation. The results were not different in animals who had received LPS B infusion. The plasma endotoxin levels correlated inversely to the hepatic killing efficiency (r = -.801) in the shocked animals given exogenous endotoxin. The decreased capacity of the hepatic RES to degrade bacteria present in the portal circulation could be an important pathophysiologic mechanism in the development of bacterial translocation.