Functional restoration of cirrhotic liver after partial hepatectomy in the rat.
OBJECTIVE
Although cirrhosis is the terminal stage of various liver diseases, thanks to recent advances one might eliminate some causes of liver damage. Liver has a potent regeneration capacity. It is important to evaluate the regenerating cirrhotic liver after partial hepatectomy, morphologically and functionally, in the long term.


METHODS
We evaluated the functional capacity of the rat liver rendered cirrhotic by orally administered thioacetamide, and examined the correlation between morphological and functional restoration after 2/3 hepatectomy in comparison with hepatectomized normal rats and sham-operated cirrhotic rats. Morphological restoration was evaluated by remnant liver weight, proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index, and fibrosis ratio. Functional restoration was evaluated by the indocyanine green disappearance rate and aminopyrine clearance.


RESULTS
Cirrhotic rats were functionally deteriorated in comparison with the normal rats. Morphological restoration in cirrhotic rats was delayed in comparison with normal rats. Functional restoration after 2/3 hepatectomy was advanced in comparison with morphological restoration. In comparison with sham-operated cirrhotic rats, functional restoration of the cirrhotic liver was accelerated by partial hepatectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
In cirrhotic rats, functional restoration of the liver after 2/3 hepatectomy was advanced in comparison with morphological restoration. Partial hepatectomy seemed to promote functional restoration of the cirrhotic liver.
Hashimoto
Masaji
M
Department of Digestive Surgery, Toranomon Hospital and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan. masajih-ind@umin.ac.jp
Watanabe
Goro
G
D000818:Animals; D006498:Hepatectomy; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009115:Muridae; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013853:Thioacetamide
D013853:Thioacetamide