HEPATIC TISSUE MICROCIRCULATION, OXYGENATION AND ENERGY-CHARGE IN ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION SUBJECTED CIRRHOTIC RAT-LIVER

Background/Aims: The hemodynamic disturbances in the cirrhotic liver f ollowing severe variceal bleeding and subsequent restoration by blood transfusion is an ischemia/reperfusion injury event which represents t he clinical situation, of liver dysfunction. Therefore, the aim of thi s study was to evaluate the microcirculation, oxygenation and energy c harge of the cirrhotic rat liver after ischemia/reperfusion. Methodolo gy In eight carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rats and an equal n umber of controls subjected to 30 minutes of ischemia and 60 minutes o f reperfusion by hepatoduodenal ligament clamping, the following param eters were assessed: hepatic microcirculation by laser-Doppler fluxmet ry, hepatic tissue oxygenation by a Clark-type electrode, hepatic ener gy charge by tissue sampling and adenine-nucleotides determination by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: At baseline, Liver microcirculation was found to be significantly decreased in the cirrhotics versus controls groups. Ischemia led to a reduction in bot h groups, while reperfusion improved microcirculation, but not to the baseline level. Oxygenation was reduced during ischemia and restored a fter reperfusion in both groups. Hepatic energy charge was reduced in. the cirrhotics versus controls at baseline, and significantly decreas ed during ischemia in both groups. At reperfusion, a further reduction was found in the cirrhotic group, while in the control group it was r estored to baseline. Conclusion: Hepatic microcirculation, oxygenation and energy charge are subjected to different degrees of diminution af ter ischemia/reperfusion in the cirrhotic rat liver.