Objectives: To explore the role of liver in the process of severe acute pancreatitis. Methods:Comparing the survival time, the endotoxin level of plasma and ascites , the IL-6 level of serum and ascites, the platelet granule membrane protein-140 (GMP-140) level of plasma and the histology change of lung between control group, portocaval shunting group(PC), acute necrotic pancreatitis (ANP) group and acute necrotic pancreatitis immediately after portocaval shunt(PC+ANP) group of rats. Measuring the serum IL-6 of control group, portocaval shunt control group (injecting normal saline through caval vein, PCJ), ascites injecting group (AJ) and ascites injecting portocaval shunt group (PC+AJ). Results: The survival time of PC+ANP group was much shorter than those of the other groups, and its plasma endotoxin , serum IL-6 and plasma GMP-140 levels were higher than those of the other groups (P