MEASUREMENT OF BLOOD FLOW THROUGH PORTOPULMONARY ANASTOMOSIS IN PORTAL HYPERTENSION.

Abstract

Abstract A method was developed for the measurement of blood flow through the portopulmonary anastomosis in portal hypertension. After the same quantity of radioactive krypton and T-1884 dye were injected into the spleen and into the peripheral vein, blood was continuously sampled at a constant rate for 50 seconds from the pulmonary and brachial arteries. From continuous measurement of the radioactivity of blood and the concentrations of T-1824 dye in the brachial arterial blood taken 2 minutes after the injections, the blood flow through the portopulmonary anastomosis was calculated. Calculated values of 7 controls were in the vicinity of zero. Among 12 patients with portal hypertension, 2 patients had increased (14.4 per cent and 11.3 per cent) blood flow through the portopulmonary anastomosis. Three other patients had slightly elevated anastomotic flow, and 7 patients had normal values. There was no signifiant correlation between the calculated blood flow and the arterial oxygen saturation. It is suggested that the portopulmonary anastomosis does not play an important role as the came of the arterial oxygen unsaturation in portal hypertension.