Effect of Splenectomy on Oxygen Saturation of Hepatic Blood in the Anesthetized Dog

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
O2 content and saturation of femoral arterial, inferior vena caval, portal and hepatic venous blood was determined in barbitalized dogs - one in control series and one shortly after splenectomy. Splenectomized animals showed an increased arterial saturation, reduced portal saturation and marked increase in arterial-portal O2 gradient. Reduced portal saturation seems to be the result of deprivation of highly oxygenated splenic vein fraction of portal blood. A comparative study of simultaneous hepatic vein samples from different liver lobes shows sizable differences in O2 saturation in about half the dogs.