One-stage hepatectomy in the dog

Abstract

This report describes a technique for total hepatectomy in the dog. The procedure maintains the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract and the pancreas in the normothermic, anesthetized animal. The technique involves (i) a mesentericocaval shunt, (ii) a temporary external bypass between the femoral and jugular veins, and (iii) a permanent internal bypass between the abdominal and thoracic inferior vena cava through the tendinous area of the diaphragm. This 60- to 70-min procedure yields a preparation useful for short-term metabolic studies in nonhepatic tissues.