An attempt to create spleno-systemic anastomosis in the rat

A selective diversion of the splenic venous flow into the systemic circulation was attempted in the rat. A combination of the subcutaneous splenic transposition and the ligation of the splenic vein as a two stage operation was carried out in 15 rats. A rich collateral system developed rapidly from the transposed spleen to the systemic circulation. Angiography, performed four weeks after the ligation, revealed that almost all of the injected contrast medium was diverted into the systemic circulation via those newly developed collaterals. The described method as an experimental model could be of value in the search for a spleno-hepatic axis.