Evaluation of portacaval shunt patency with the differential glucose tolerance test.
A method has been described for establishing shunt patency by determining the difference in postprandial plasma glucose levels between a peripheral vein and the inferior vena cava at or near the site of the portal-systemic anastomosis. This tet was evaluated both in the laboratory with normal dogs before and after Eck fistula formation as well as cirrhotic patients with and without shunts. The results indicate that this test is reliable and has the advantages of safety, specificity, and ease of performance.
HERMANN
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WITTEN
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STARZL
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D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D011167:Portacaval Shunt, Surgical; D011168:Portal System; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior