Improved functional parameters of liver perfusion with a complete medium

Abstract THEORETICALLY, freezing and continuous aerobic perfusion are the only methods for obtaining long term organ preservation. Paradoxically, from a clinical point of view, the most convenient method of short period organ preservation for transplantation is simple cold storage. The goal in organ preservation research is to develop methods providing the best preservation quality and longest duration. It is admitted that continuous hypothermic preservation, performed under controlled conditions, provides consistently better preservation of organs before transplantation than simple cold ischemic storage does. With optimized methods, successful 72-hour preservation of canine livers 1 and 5-days preservation of canine kidneys 2 have been reported. It has been recorded that several amino acids are cytoprotective against ischaemic injury, 3 inhibit proteolysis, 4 and could stimulate glycogen synthesis. 5 To determine the efficiency of some compounds for liver function improvement, we compared the effect of amino acids, vitamins, and glucose addition to the perfusion solution in a model of isolated perfused rat liver.