The study was designed to develop a readily reproducible model of Acute Liver Failure (ALF) in the minipig, to gain an eight-hour therapeutic window to mimic, as closely as possible, acute liver failure in man. Method and material: We used reversible devascularization model of ALF in the minipig involving hepatic artery ligation and establish an end-to-side portocaval anastomosis. Standard laboratory monitoring was complemented with intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement. Twenty minipigs (weight 25–30 kg) were used for the experiment. The animals were divided into 3 groups: I – 10 animals in an experimental group with ALF, II – 5 animals in an experimental group with ALF and ICP measurement; III – 5 animals in a control group without ALF. Results: Laboratory testing has shown the significant changes in levels of AST (33.44 ± 39.96 vs. 1.56 ± 0.50 mmol/1), lactate (2.97 ± 1.16 vs. 1.18 ± 0.61 mmol/1), and ammonia (264.3 ± 93.05 vs. 42.5 ± 12.98 mmol/1) between ALF groups and controls (p < 0.01) six hour after the operative procedure and significant changes in hypoglycaemia and intracranial pressure were found 4 hours after the operative procedure. The difference in Quick values (67.4 ± 17.03 vs. 75.2 ± 2.68) was not significant. We assume that the therapeutic window starts 4 hours after the beginning of the experiment. Conclusion: Our devascularization model of ALF is simple and readily reproducible. The therapeutic window occurring shortly after surgery and persisting for a mean 9 hours is suitable to evaluate eliminations therapeutic methods.

        Key words: acute liver failure – surgical pig model – intracranial pressure – hypoglycaemia – therapeutic window