Effects of arterial or portal ischemia on survival and metabolism of partially and totally depancreatized dogs.

The role of arterial blood flow in hepatic metabolic functions was compared to that of portal flow in two groups of totally depancreatized dogs. Survival times and glucose and nitrogen excretion were significantly greater in dogs with ligation of the hepatic artery than in dogs with an Eck fistula. The dogs with ligated hepatic arteries also showed a significantly slower rise in plasma ketones. The course of diabetes was compared in three additional groups of partially depancreatized dogs consisting of a) dogs with ligated hepatic arteries, b) dogs with Eck fistulas, and c) controls. Hepatic arterial ischemia: 1) increased survival, without insulin treatment (a--650, b--167, c--124 days) 2) did not decrease tracer-determined rate of glucose production 3) led to a greater urinary excretion of glucose, ketone bodies and nitrogen than portal ischemia. Partially depancreatized dogs with either arterial or portal hepatic ischemia maintained a high rate of glucose disappearance on acute deprivation of endogenous insulin (clamping of vessels of their pancreatic remnant) due probably to decreased insulin degradation by the ischemic liver. The dogs died in coma after losing all fat depots. There was severe fatty change in the livers of dogs with hepatic artery ligation, slight in those with Eck fistulas and no fat in the livers of controls.