Perfusion of malignant hyperthermia susceptible and normal isolated pig livers with halothane.

We have perfused malignant hyperthermia susceptible and normal isolated pig livers with halothane for one hour. The liver temperatures, oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions, the base deficits and lactate concentrations in blood entering and leaving the liver have been measured at the beginning and at the end of the perfusion. Statistical analysis has shown that there are no significant differences in these parameters between the beginning and the end of the perfusion period or between the normal and the malignant hyperthermia susceptible livers. We conclude, therefore, that the livers of malignant hyperthermia susceptible pigs are either normal or else, if abnormal, the abnormalities are sufficiently benign as to be not measurably expressed.