Hepatic Blood Flow and Metabolism

The relationship between liver blood flow and hepatic metabolism remains unclear. An animal model as well as a methodology that permits simultaneous assessment of both of these functions are proposed. Several fractions of inspired oxygen were used to produce arterial oxygen levels commonly seen in clinical practice; these ranged from hyperoxemia to established hypoxemia. Over this range there were no considerable changes in transhepatic blood flow, but there were considerable changes in hepatic metabolism as shown by measurements of the hepatic parenchymal pH, transhepatic oxygen consumption, and lactic acid use. Of these, the parenchymal pH seems to be the most sensitive indicator of metabolic events.