AN ATTEMPT TO AUTO-TRANSPLANT THE ADRENAL

Abstract

Attempts to auto-transplant the adrenal into the omentum and spleen were unsuccessful. The adrenal on a pedicle consisting of the anastomosing blood vessels of the kidney capsule functioned adequately to maintain life for relatively long periods of time in 4 of 15 dogs. Sectioning of the pedicle resulted in death from adrenal insufficiency in 3 dogs; in the 4th, the animal died on the 6th day due to a ruptured duodenal ulcer. It is pointed out that the rich blood supply that the adrenal receives normally is physiologically significant. The pseudo-transplanted adrenal on a pedicle does not readily develop a secondary, or a new blood supply, which is in contrast to such tissues as the skin, stomach, pancreas, intestine, etc.