Hepatic hemodynamics before vascular occlusion and the effect of transient hepatic artery or portal vein occlusion on the liver were investigated in normal dogs and dogs with experimentally induced obstructive jaundice by measurement of hepatic tissue blood flow (HTBF), index of hemoglobin concentration (IHb), oxygen saturation (ISO2), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) concentration, and malonaldehyde (MDA) concentration in liver tissue. Livers with obstructive jaundice had increased blood flow and a lower hemoglobin concentration compared with normal livers at baseline before vascular occlusion. Percentage change of ISO2 from baseline was higher than percentage change of HTBF after reperfusion in both normal and obstructive jaundiced liver, although they were decreased to almost similar proportions during vascular occlusion. MDA concentration in obstructive jaundice after reperfusion following vascular occlusion was higher than in normal liver. Furthermore, MDA concentration after reperfusion following hepatic artery occlusion was increased compared with after reperfusion following portal venous occlusion in obstructive jaundice. There was no evidence of massive liver necrosis which was newly developed by transient vascular occlusion. These results represent the pathological condition in the liver before transient vascular occlusion and after reperfusion in obstructive jaundice.