Orthotope arterialisierte Lebertransplantation bei Ratten mit Stenttechnik der supra- und infrahepatischen v. cava

The aim of this study was to establish a liver transplant model with a reduced warm ischemic period between cold preservation and completed anastomosis. Male brown Norway rats were used. A cuff was fixed in the portal vein, stents were inserted in the A. hepatica, the suprahepatic and infrahepatic v. cava and in the bile duct. After cross clamping of the recipient liver, another stent, occluded by a small pin, was introduced in the recipient suprahepatic v. cava. After ligation of this recipient suprahepatic caval stent the recipient liver was removed and the cold prepared donor liver was pushed forward along the pin and both suprahepatic stents of recipient and donor were connected. Then cuff anastomosis of the portal vein was performed as well as anastomosis of the infrahepatic v. cava and of the A. hepatica and the bile duct. The median clamping time of the portal vein was 6.5 minutes with a warm ischemic period for the liver of 2.7 minutes. All transplanted rats survived 7 days, histologic examination after reperfusion showed normal hepatocytes and endothelial cells. The described method allows fast and safe anastomosis of the suprahepatic v. cava. Studies concerning the role of the warm ischemic period between cold preservation and reperfusion are thus feasible.