Simple method of hepatic venous blood sampling in the rat.

An improved method of hepatic venous blood sampling by catheterization in rats is proposed and applied to the measurement of hepatic blood flow (HBF) by the continuous ICG infusion method in normal rats and in rats treated chronically with CC1(4). The value of HBF determined by the present method was 0.90 +/- 0.17 (SD) ml/min per g liver under ether anesthesia, which was consistent with the reported values determined by other more complicated methods. The applicability of the present method was also shown in CC1(4) chronic intoxicated rats, to give 0.64 +/- 0.11 ml/min per g liver of HBF.