Portal Hyperfusion or Hepatic Venous Congestion: Which One Affects Kupffer Cell Function More?

Abstract

Objectives: Because of their effects on the liver parenchyma after surgery, portal hyperperfusion and hepatic venous congestion are challenging problems for hepatobiliary surgeons. However, the effects of those conditions on Kupffer cells have not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vascular streams modified by portal hyperperfusion and hepatic venous congestion on Kupffer cell function.

Materials and Methods: Thirty rats were allocated into 3 groups of 10 rats each and were subjected to right portal vein ligation to induce hyperperfusion in the left lobe of the liver (group 1), occlusion of the right hepatic vein to produce venous congestion (group 2), or sham operation (controls; group 3). After 72 hours, the right and left liver lobes of the subjects were submitted separately for scintigraphic and histopathologic evaluation, and the radiocolloid uptake per gram of liver tissue and the number of Kupffer cells per square millimeter were calculated.

Results: The mean technetium-99m labeled sulfur colloid uptake values of the liver tissue per gram were 0.126 ± 0.038 for group 1, 0.106 ± 0.032 for group 2, and 0.110 ± 0.031 for group 3. Portal hyperperfusion significantly increased the technetium-99m labeled sulfur colloid uptake of the liver tissue per gram (P = .043). The mean number of Kupffer cells per square millimeter was calculated for each group as follows: 321 ± 094 × 10-6 for group 1, 369 ± 083 × 10-6 for group 2, and 355 ± 096 × 10-6 for group 3. Both vascular streams produced no significant effects on the number of Kupffer cells (P > .05).

Conclusions: In this experimental model, portal hyperperfusion affected Kupffer cell function more than did hepatic venous congestion.