A rat model for acute hepatic failure.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a surgical model of acute hepatic failure.


METHODS
Hepatectomy was performed in rats according to the method described by Higgins and Anderson. Ninety percent liver resection (removing the left lateral, median, and right lateral lobes) (n=7) and 95% liver resection leaving only half of the caudate lobe (n=13) were performed. Hypoglycemia was corrected by giving 20% glucose in the drinking water, coupled with repeated intraperitoneal injection of 5% glucose adapted to glycemia. While the survival rate, alanine transaminase (ALT) and bilirubin were observed.


RESULTS
95% liver resection decreased survival rates of the rats from 86% (90% liver resection) to 23% (P<0.05), and increased bilirubin levels (4.04+/-2.84 mg/dL vs. 1.25+/-1.85 mg/dL [90% liver resection]).


CONCLUSIONS
95% liver resection is a good rat model for acute hepatic failure.
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China. heyong007@yahoo.com
Yong
Y
He
Jun
J
Zhou
Ke-Feng
KF
Dou
Yong
Y
Chen
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin