Formation of Effective Collateral Circulation Following Excision of Hepatic Artery

Abstract

The present work is an anatomical demonstration of the collateral blood supply which maintains the liver after acute interruption of the hepatic artery. This is demonstrated with x-ray films and corrosion specimens of the livers of dogs weeks to months following excision of the hepatic artery. The livers were injected with red lead suspension or with a plastic material. With both methods, we have demonstrated the development of adequate anastomoses within the liver between the phrenic and the hepatic arteries. The phrenic arteries had hypertrophied considerably and numerous good sized anastomoses with the hepatic arteries were present, allowing for an adequate supply of arterial blood to the liver and survival of the animal. In similar control experiments on normal dogs, the phrenic arteries were small, and insignificant anastomoses to the hepatic arteries were found.