The Significance of Portal Plasma Administration on Regeneration after Hepatic Resection

Effects of portal plasma administration on regeneration of the residual liver after a 68% hepatectomy in liver damaged and normal rats were explored by measuring hepatic DNA synthesis. Liver damaged rats were made by administering dimethylnitrosamine (DMNA) three days a week for four weeks. These rats were divided into three major groups. Each group consists of 2 subgroups ― normal and liver damaged rats. Group I. The control group : Only hepatectomy was carried out without postoperative plasma administration. Group II. Normal portal plasma treated group : A 2 ml of portal plasma from the normal rat was injected intravenously immediately after hepatectomy was made. Group III. Special portal plasma treated group : A 2 ml of portal plasma from a normal rat 68% hepatectomized 24 hours previously was given. Remarkable regenerative capacity was observed in both normal and liver damaged rats in the group II. DNA synthesis in the group II was statistically significantly higher when compare to that in the group I. In the group III, DNA synthesis was slightly higher than the group I, but the changes were statistically insignificant.