ALTERATIONS IN VOLATILE FREE FATTY-ACIDS OF BLOOD AFTER HEPATECTOMY

Abstract

Volatile free fatty acids (VFA) in blood increased approximately 2-fold in dogs subjected to total hepatectomy. The average total plasma VFA preoperatively was 1585 .mu.g% and shortly before death, postoperatively, was 2798 .mu.g%. The corresponding red cell concentrations were essentially the same. Acetic acid was 81% of the total VFA, propionic acid 7%, isobutyric acid 4%, butyric acid 1% and isovaleric acid 5%. There was little or no isovalerate in red cells. The increments in the individual fatty acids after hepatectomy were highly variable, but the average increase with time was almost linear. The increase in VFA probably reflects an increased utilization of the branched-chain amino acids by extrahepatic tissues.