Comparing the Performance of Rat Lungs Preserved for 6 or 12 Hours After Perfusion With Low-Potassium Dextran or Histidine–Tryptophan–Ketoglutarate

Abstract Introduction In lung transplantation, graft dysfunction is a frequent cause of mortality; the etiopathogenesis is related to ischemia–reperfusion injury. We sought to compare the lung performance of rats after reperfusion after presentation with 3 solutions at 2 ischemia times. Methods We randomized 60 male Wistar rats to undergo anterograde perfusion via the pulmonary artery with low-potassium dextran (LPD), histidine–tryptophan ketoglutarate (HTK), or saline. After extraction, the heart–lung blocks were preserved in a solution at hypothermia for 6 or 12 hours before perfusion with homologous blood for 60 minutes using ex vivo system Isolated Perfused Rat or Guinea Pig Lung System (Harvard Apparatus). Respiratory mechanics, pulmonary weight, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and relative lung oxygenation capacity (ROC) measurements were obtained every 10 minutes. Results Comparing tidal volume (TV), compliance, resistance, ROC, PAP, and pulmonary weight the LPD, HTK, and saline group did not differ at 6 and 12 hours. The TV was higher in the lungs with 6-hour ischemia in the LPD, HTK, and saline groups. Compliance was higher in the lungs with 6-hour ischemia in the LPD and saline groups. There were no differences in ROC values comparing lungs with 6- versus 12-hour ischemia in the LPD group. A significant difference was observed between lungs in the HTK and saline groups. Resistance was higher in the lungs with 12-hour ischemia among the LPD, HTK, and saline groups. There was a gradual weight increase in the lungs, particularly those undergoing 12-hour ischemia, despite the absence of a significant difference between groups. Conclusion Rat lungs perfused with LPD and HTK preservation solutions showed similar reperfusion performances in this ex-vivo perfusion model.