Metabolic changes in rats with porto-caval shunt and liver arterialization

The aim of the study is to characterize the metabolic profile with special reference to hepatic function in a group of porto-caval shunted rats with liver arterialization. Forty-five male Wistar rats weighing 280-320 gm were divided into 3 groups: 15 rats were submitted to end-to-side porto-caval shunt; 15 rats received end-to-end porto-caval shunt plus liver arterialization using right renal artery; 15 rats represented the control group. All the animals were sacrificed 30 days after surgery and 7 biochemical parameters were evaluated in each group: alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase, GOT, GPT, prothrombin activity, NH3, platelet count. The results of the present investigation clearly evidence that arterialization of the portal stump by right renal artery in healthy rats can prevent the functional hepatic deterioration induced by porto-caval shunt. All the biochemical parameters considered were significantly better in the arterialized group when compared with porto-caval shunted rats; nonetheless not all evidenced a trend to normalization.