The effects of cortisone on liver blood flow in experimental hemorrhagic shock: using a new simplified radioisotope clearance method to measure liver blood flow.

Liver blood flow was measured in the dog under control and hemorrhagic shock conditions by the 133Xe clearance method. 133Xe was administered first into the portal vein and its clearance from the liver recorded, and then directly into the liver tissue and another clearance curve was obtained. The resuts were compared. We have also investigated the effects of corticosteroids, given in pharmacologic doses, on liver blood flow in hemorrhagic shock. We have shown that the difference between the results of tissue injection and those of portal injection of 133Xe was not significant (p greater than 1.10). Hemodynamic studies indicated that the liver blood flow is decreased, the liver venous resistance and portal venous pressures are increased in dogs in hemorrhagic shock, and that hydrocortisone, with the blood pressure and the bleedout volume held constant in the experimental model, lowers the liver venous resistance and raises the liver blood flow significantly (p less than 0.05) at various stages of hemorrhagic shock.