The relationship between splanchnic oxygen consumption and blood supply.

Our experimental study has proved, that the increase in the intestinal and splanchnic metabolism is associated with raised blood flow. However, it has been found that so called primary increase of the blood flow by the administration of vasodilatators is not associated with raised metabolism, i.e. no increase in the oxygen uptake has been noted. Injection of Glucagon into the superior mesenteric artery raised both the splanchnic (portal vein) and the intestinal (superior mesenteric artery) blood flow. However, while the intestinal oxygen consumption increases along with the blood flow, when the blood flow to the whole splanchnic area has risen the oxygen consumption has not increased moreover it has decreased. This means, that while the Glucagon quickens the metabolism of the small bowel, that in the other abdominal organs has dropped. This means that while there is not any difference in the vascular effect of the intestinal and total splanchnic area, the metabolic effect shows a disparity, this can be regarded as an evidence, that the alterations in the splanchnic metabolism are not primarily determined by haemodynamic changes. The blood flow is adjusted to the oxygen demand and the physiological changes in the blood flow protect against cellular hypoxia under various circumstances.