Measurements of Local PO2 in the Resting Skeletal Muscles of Rats with Portocaval Anastomosis (PCA) under Normoxic Conditions

Abstract

Various hemodynamic changes have been described in patients with liver cirrhosis. It has been shown that alterations of pulmonary microcirculation, such as arteriovenous shunting leads to impairment of pulmonary gas transfer, which correlates with the degree of encephalopathy (Schomerus et al. 1975). The well known hyperdynamic cardiovascular state of patients with liver cirrhosis is characterized by an increased cardiac output, decreased peripheral vascular tone, increased mixed venous oxygen content and elevated mean systolic ejection rate (Gordon and Del Guercio 1972, Siegel et al. 1974). This hyperdynamic cardiovascular state has also been demonstrated in rats with portocaval end-to-side anastomosis (PCA), a well defined experimental model (Herz et al. 1972, Liehr et al. 1976). In rats with PCA little is known about the effects of changes in systemic circulation on tissue oxygenation of the muscles.