A technique for the chronic study of the hepatic uptake and excretion of substances in the conscious pig.
The pig is an ideal animal for studies of hepatic metabolism and the handling of drugs by the liver because of the many similarities in liver function to that in man. In this report we describe for the first time, in this animal, methods for the chronic implantation of sampling catheters in the major hepatic vessels and for the construction of an external biliary shunt. This model has many advantages in that it permits in the conscious animal intermittent, simultaneous and precise sampling of the hepatic uptake and clearance of substances and intermittent sampling of bile, without permanent interruption of the enterophepatic circulation. The effectiveness of this preparation has been assessed in 55 pigs. It was demonstrated that the majority of catheters remained patent for at least three days and in many cases for much longer. No significant alteration in liver function could be shown for at least seven days after surgery.
D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006503:Hepatic Veins; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008722:Methods; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism*; D011169:Portal Vein; D013552:Swine
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations