Percutaneous measurement of portal blood flow in the piglet by continuous thermodilution.

— The continuous thermodilution method was applied to the percutaneous measurement of portal blood flow in the piglet by inserting a thermodilution probe into the portal vein via the transhepatic transvenous route. The method was compared to electromagnetic flowmetry in three piglets; the two methods yielded statistically identical results. The coefficient of variation of the continuous thermodilution measurements was 4%. The method allows portal blood flow measurements that are instantaneous, reliable, reproducible, and repetitive. It was applied to a study of rapid flow variations in piglets receiving an infusion of posterior pituitary extract.