The Splanchinic Blood flow and Oxygen Consumption Estimated in Man by the Bromsul-Phalein Method with Special Reference to the Influence of the Peripheral Dye Level

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Abstract
The splanchnic blood flow was estimated by the bromsulphalein method in sixteen healthy volunteers and in eleven patients who had been partially gastrectomized for peptic ulcer. The steady state infusion technic according to. Bradley was employed in nine healthy subjects and in eleven patients; the mean blood flow in the resting state was of similar order for both groups. The mean value was 1253 [plus or minus] 69 ml per minute, being lower than that reported by others. The possible reasons for this variance are discussed and it is suggested that in the present series "basality" was probably better approached, which was reflected by a higher arteriovenous oxygen difference across the splanchnic area. The splanchnic oxygen consumption was correlated to the body surface while no such relationship was obtained between the splanchnic blood flow and the body surface. Thus, despite variations in flow, the liver extracted a constant amount of oxygen, inferring that the splanchnic blood flow is not primarily regulated by the hepatic tissues'' need for oxygen. In seven healthy subjects the arterial concentration of bromsulphalein was varied in a stepwise manner (range 0.4 to 10.4 mg/100 ml) in the same individual for the purpose of evaluating the influence of the peripherial level of dye on the splanchnic blood flow measurement. Moderate variations in flow were observed between the different steps but they were not correlated to the pertinent concentration of bromsulphalein. The extraction ratio of bromsulphalein was, as a whole, inversely correlated to the arterial level of dye. However, this relationship was poor at levels between 0.4 and 2.0 mg/100 ml.