STRUCTURAL CHANGES OF THE LIVER IN EXPERIMENTAL AORTIC COARCTATION AND PULMONARY TRUNK STENOSIS

The state of the liver was studied in 13 puppies with experimental aortic coarctation, 12 animals with pulmonary trunk stenosis and 10 control (intact) dogs of the appropriate age. Histological, morphometric methods and immunohistochemical reaction with the monoclonal antibodies against α-SMA were used. Studies have shown that aortic coarctation led to hypotonia and atrophy of the walls of the arteries, branches of the portal vein and veins related to the hepatic vein system. On the contrary, in pulmonary trunk stenosis the thickening of the walls of branches of the hepatic veins and the development of veno-arterial and veno-venous reactions were observed. Despite the significant differences in hemodynamic disorders in these defects, an increase in the number and degree of development of the adaptational muscular structures was found in the afferent vascular bed of the liver. In the efferent vascular bed, in coarctation, the relaxation and the atrophy of muscle cushions in the veins related to the hepatic vein system was found, which was accompanied by a decrease in blood storage in the liver. In pulmonary trunk stenosis, to prevent venous congestion, the hypertrophy of the muscular cushions occured in these vessels. After some time, in both defects, hepatic blood vessels demonstrated angiosclerosis; degenerative changes developed in the parenchyma and sclerosis - in the stroma.

liver, pulmonary trunk stenosis, aortic coarctation, morphology