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Indocyanine green R15 ratio depends directly on liver perfusion flow rate

  • Original article
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Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences

Abstract

Backround

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a synthetic dye that is widely used to evaluate liver function in critically ill patients, before liver resection or after liver transplantation. Controversy still exists about the impact exerted on the ICG ratio after 15 min (ICG R15) by differences in liver perfusion rates, hyperdynamic states, or patient cardiac output. We studied the role of different liver perfusion rates on the ICG R15 ratio in a normothermic extracorporeal liver perfusion system under standardized conditions.

Methods

Livers from landrace pigs (40–50 kg) were perfused with fresh porcine blood. Normal and high perfusion rates were defined as 1 ml and 2 ml/g liver/min, respectively. Perfusate pressure of the hepatic artery and portal vein were within the physiological range in both groups. According to manufacturer's instructions, 0.5 mg of ICG per kg was applied and the ICG R15 was calculated. Calculations were based on fifteen experiments in five liver perfusions. Bile production, liver function and histology were analyzed.

Results

All perfusions were characterized by physiological bile production, lack of hepatocellular damage and normal histology. ICG R15 ratio in group I, perfused with 1 ml/g liver, was 18.9 ± 6%. In group II, perfused with 2 ml/g liver, the ICG R15 ratio was 7.2 ± 3%. The difference between groups 1 and 2 was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

ICG R15 is reliable within one group at defined perfusion rates. Doubled perfusion rates contribute to higher ICG clearance. For clinical application we would like to suggest considering cardiac output of the patient for interpretation of ICG ratios.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Martin W. W. Janssen, Karl T. Druckrey-Fiskaaen, Leyla Omidi, Johann P. Hauss & Michael R. Schön

  2. Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Grzegorz Sliwinski & Christine Thiele

  3. Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Bernd Donaubauer, Nina Polze & Udo X. Kaisers

  4. Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Joachim Thiery

  5. Department of Pathology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Christian Wittekind

  6. Department of Surgery, Karlsruhe Hospital, Moltkestrasse 90, 76133, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Michael R. Schön

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  1. Martin W. W. Janssen
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Correspondence to Michael R. Schön.

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Janssen, M.W.W., Druckrey-Fiskaaen, K.T., Omidi, L. et al. Indocyanine green R15 ratio depends directly on liver perfusion flow rate. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci 17, 180–185 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00534-009-0160-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00534-009-0160-0

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