Effect of hemorrhage on hepatic tissue blood flow in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

1. Thermal Pulse Decay (TPD) methodology was used to monitor hepatic tissue blood flow (hepatic perfusion) in anesthetized birds prior to and during hemorrhagic hypotension. 2. Hemorrhage was accomplished by periodic removal of blood through a carotid cannula. Reducing the estimated blood volume (BV) from 100 to less than 50% decreased hepatic perfusion from 4.36 +/- 0.7 to 1.88 +/- 0.7 ml/min/g. 3. Changes in hepatic perfusion during the experiment were related to mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) by the following linear regression equation: hepatic perfusion = -1.79 +/- 0.0807x (r2 = 0.57).