Extended Ligation of the Hepatic Vein May Yield a Similar Effect to Liver Venous Deprivation in a Rat Model

Abstract

Aims

To validate the hypothesis that hepatic vein ligation (HVL) alone may produce similar results to liver venous deprivation (LVD or HVL + portal vein ligation [PVL]).

Methods

Rats were assigned to five groups, namely, the control group; the R group in which the right median hepatic vein (RMHV) was ligated; the M group in which the middle median hepatic vein (MMHV) was ligated; the RM group in which both the RMHV and MMHV were ligated (R + MMHVL, extended ligation of the hepatic veins); and the LVD group in which both the right median portal vein and the RMHV were ligated. The liver hypertrophy effect and liver enzymes were determined. Methylene blue staining and retrograde pressurized perfusion assays were performed to investigate the hemodynamic changes.

Results

The RM and LVD groups exhibited similar significant hypertrophy in the future liver remnants when compared to that of the control group, and almost no additional hypertrophy effect was observed in the R and M groups. There was a remarkable elevation in serum transaminase levels in both groups. The methylene blue staining experiment indicated that pressure-dependent collaterals formed between the contiguous drainage areas, and the R + MMHVL procedure blocked the outflow of the right median lobe.

Conclusion

Extended ligation of the hepatic vein (R + MMHVL) resulted in a similar hypertrophy effect and hepatic damage to those of LVD (HVL + PVL) treatment in a rat model, and intrahepatic venovenous collaterals play key roles.

Keywords:

• Liver venous deprivation
• hepatic vein ligation
• hypertrophy
• animal model

Author contributions

Study concept and design (XH, YZ, GZ), acquisition of data (PM, LX, WW), analysis and interpretation of data (YX, GZ), drafting of the manuscript (YS), critical revisions of the manuscript for important intellectual content (XH, KY), and administrative, technical, or material support, study supervision (KY, WW).

Data sharing statement

Data and materials are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest related to this article to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This project was financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (NO. 2042020kf0124), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 82001940) and Hubei province Key Laboratory Opening Project (NO. 2021KFY027).