Influence of portocaval anastomosis (PCA) on tissue PO2 of renal cortex and skeletal muscle in rats with liver cirrhosis.

Portocaval anastomosis in the rat leads to a time-limited hyper-perfusion of the skeletal muscle due to an increase of cardiac output. Although it is known that PCA in rats changes intrarenal perfusion to dimished relative cortical perfusion (Grun et al., 1976) resembling cirrhosis-induced perfusion changes in man (Kew et al., 1971), there is no influence on PO2 distribution and mean tissue PO2 on the renal cortex (Grein et al,, 1984). Pharmacologically induced liver cirrhosis with spontaneous portal hypertension and consecutive portosystemic shunting in rats also leads to an increase of mean muscular PO2 but mean PO2 on the renal cortex declines (Dette et al., 1984).