title: Subtotal hepatectomy: a porcine model for the study of liver regeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to devise a simple, reproducible method of subtotal hepatectomy in a large animal model. Such an experimental model could be useful in the investigation of liver regeneration and liver insufficiency after partial hepatectomy. Equally, this technique could be used for assessing the effect of artificial liver support systems on both liver function and regeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty pigs were subjected to either 70-80% liver resection (n = 11), or 85-90% liver resection (n = 9), using a simplified technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most tolerated the procedure well and showed restoration of full liver volume within 3 weeks. Three animals in the 90% resection group died with significantly raised levels of International Normalized Ratio (INR) and ammonia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These two techniques have been shown to be easily reproducible and well tolerated by the animals and allow easy assessment of liver function and regeneration in the postoperative period. The deaths in the 90% resection group supports the hypothesis that 90% partial hepatectomy represents a model of critical residual liver parenchyma.
authors.affiliation: University of Adelaide, Department of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Fiona G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Court
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Laws
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Teague
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wemyss-Holden
authors.forename: Ashley R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dennison
authors.forename: Guy J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Maddern
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine