Decreased hepatic nitric oxide synthesis during liver surgery

• Published in: Hepato-gastroenterology Vol. 46; no. 27; p. 1917
• Main Authors: Ueda, T, Sakabe, T, Oka, M, Maeda, Y, Nishida, M, Murakami, F, Maekawa, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece 01.05.1999
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arginine - blood; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - blood; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Citrulline - blood; Female; Hepatectomy; Humans; Liver Function Tests; Liver Neoplasms - blood; Liver Neoplasms - secondary; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Nitrates - blood; Nitric Oxide - blood; Nitrites - blood; Reference Values
• ISSN: 0172-6390

Liver cells can produce nitric oxide from L-arginine through the action of nitric oxide synthase, but local changes in the concentrations of nitric oxide-related metabolites during liver surgery are not well characterized. We investigated such changes during and after liver surgery. We determined nitrite plus nitrate, L-arginine and L-citrulline concentrations in radial arterial and hepatic venous blood during and after liver surgery in 17 patients. Portal venous blood concentrations were also measured at the end of surgery in 7 patients. Both arterial and hepatic venous nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were significantly decreased during surgery and remained low compared to pre-operative values until post-operative day 2. Arterial and hepatic venous nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were not significantly different. L-arginine concentrations in both arterial and hepatic venous blood were significantly decreased during surgery, but returned to pre-operative levels on post-operative day 1. L-arginine concentrations in hepatic venous blood were significantly lower than in arterial blood. L-citrulline concentrations in both arterial and hepatic venous blood were significantly decreased during surgery compared to pre-operative values, and tend to be decreased until post-operative day 2. L-citrulline concentrations were significantly higher in hepatic venous blood than in arterial blood. Hepatic nitric oxide production was decreased peri-operatively during liver surgery. The decreases in L-arginine concentrations and in nitric oxide synthase activity may account for the decrease in nitric oxide production.