The main purposes of veno-venous bypasses during orthotopic liver transplantation are: attenuation of subdiaphragmatic venous stasis, maintenance of satisfactory venous return to the heart, and efficient tissue perfusion. PVP, IHIVCP, CVP, MAP and RPP, as well as <FONT FACE="Symbol">D</font> PVP and <FONT FACE="Symbol">D</font> IHIVCP were investigated in six dogs, under general anesthesia, having their livers perfused by hepatic artery, and submitted to passive porto-jugular and cava-jugular shunts during two hours. Such shunts, were not able to obviate stagnation of blood in portal and caval veins, inducing stasis and lesser venous return to the heart, as suggested by increases of PP and PVCIIH and decreases of CVP values. Levels of MAP were not significantly different from those verified at T0, in the majority of studied times, and RPP values were significantly decreased from those at T0, in almost all instances. Such pressures were respectively maintained above 100 and 50 mmHg, and were attributed in part to a widespread arteriolar vasoconstriction. Pressure increments in PV (<FONT FACE="Symbol">D</font> PVP) were significantly smaller than those verified in the IHIVC (<FONT FACE="Symbol">D</font> IHIVCP), and such difference was attributed to splancnic compliance. Further decreases in PP and IHIVCP levels suggest a lower arterial flux to splancnic and systemic territories as a consequence of reduced venous return to the heart. PVP, IHIVCP, CVP, MAP and RPP determinations may comprise a practical mean to assist hemodynamic veno-venous bypass performance.
Portal vein; Vena cava, inferior; Liver transplantation; Dogs
