Liver function following thermal injury

¹ Department of Physiology, Naval Medical Field Research Laboratory, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Studies of acute changes in hepatic function utilizing the hepatic clearances of rose bengal (I¹³¹) and uric acid, and the determination of relative splanchnic oxygen consumption were performed in dogs following a 22 cal/cm² 30% body surface area burn in an attempt to determine the etiology of the hepatic pathologic changes which have been shown to occur following thermal injury. Although rose bengal clearance decreased following injury, arterial-hepatic venous oxygen difference rose sufficiently to increase relative splanchnic oxygen consumption. Plasma uric acid concentration increased following the burn but the arterial-hepatic venous uric acid difference indicated that the changes were not necessarily a result of hepatic dysfunction but could be explained on the basis of accelerated purine catabolism. The postburn administration of morphine effected a significant decrease in the relative splanchnic oxygen consumption. The infusion of dextran did not increase rose bengal clearance proportionate to the resulting increase in plasma volume. The data indicate that hepatic hypoxia does not contribute to the production of early hepatic injury following severe thermal trauma.