Hepatosplanchnic blood flow (EHBF) was estimated with the single-injection method using indocyanine green in 10 patients without cardiac failure before and after 20 min of an intravenous infusion of dopamine. Five patients received 4 μg/kg/min and another 5 patients 8 μg/kg/min. The cardiac index (CI) was determined according to the Fick principle, and the arterio-hepatovenous oxygen difference (AV DO2 AO/HV) was measured. The mean increase in EHBF in the 10 patients was from 640 ± 46 ml/min/m2 to 831 ± 56 ml/min/m2 (p