Total and partial anoxia of the liver. An attempt to create protracted liver failure in the pit.

In an attempt to produce severe, but non-lethal experimental liver failure, pig livers were exposed to partial or total anoxia for various periods. The experiments were divided into 5 groups. Group I with total anoxia for 30 minutes, group II for 50 minutes, group III for 60 minutes, and group IV for 75 minutes. In group V a subtotal devascularization was performed. In group I (3 animals) and II (3 animals) all survived the period of observation (one week). In group III (4 animals) half of the animals, and in group IV (3 animals) all died within 24 hours. In group V (10 animals) five of 10 animals died with a mean survival time of 22 hours and a half. The animals surviving the period observation did show changes in the routine liver tests, but none of them showed clinical signs of liver insufficiency. This indicates that the differences between lethal and clinically insignificant liver damage is very small. It is concluded that the pig lever can tolerate 50 minutes of total anoxia and recover almost completely after one week, and that a period of anoxia or subtotal devascularization does not create protacted liver failure.