The effect of liver denervation on hepatic hemodynamics during hypovolemic shock in swine

This study tested the hypothesis that the denervated liver is more susceptible to hypovolemic shock than the normal liver. Fourteen swine, seven nondenervated and seven after liver denervation, were studied during hypovolemic shock to 50% of baseline blood pressure. Hepatic artery and portal vein flows were measured using transonic flow probes, and cardiac output and central venous pressure were measured using Swan-Ganz catheters. Hepatic artery flow fell equivalently in the two groups, from 132 ± 71 to 94 ± 17 ml/min in the nondenervated group compared with 149 ± 56 to 91 ± 55 ml/min in the denervated group. In contrast, portal flow in the denervated group (276 ± 71 to 119 ± 53 ml/min) fell significantly (p < 0.001) more than in the nondenervated group (289 ± 135 to 194 ± 70 ml/min). The 58% reduction from baseline in portal flow in the denervated group compared with the 30% reduction in the nondenervated group suggests that the normal compensatory mechanism to maintain portal flow during hypovolemic shock is neurally mediated. It can be hypothesized that sensory afferent fibers might initiate a feedback to splanchnic vasodilatation in response to reduced portal flow. This study supports the hypothesis that the denervated liver is more susceptible to hypovolemic shock.