Factors influencing bromsulphalein retention and its evaluation in bilharzial hepatic fibrosis.

Thirty-six patients with bilharzial hepatic fibrosis were investigated, and five other patients were studied before and after portacaval shunt operation. The liver parenchyma is well preserved in bilharzial hepatic fibrosis and this is reflected in the almost normal results of liver function tests. In 40% of the patients bromsulphalein was retained to an abnormal degree and retention was increased post-operatively in the patients studied before and after portacaval shunt operations. The increased retention of bromsulphalein was found to be the result of prehepatic factors, namely, diminished hepatic blood flow and increased systemic portal collateral circulation either singly or in combination.