title: Electron microscopic changes and edema after nine hours' perfusion of isolated canine hearts.
abstract: In a comparative study, we investigated whether or not removed and non-beating hearts could be preserved in vitro by continuous perfusion with oxygen-carrying solutions (blood, perfluoro-carbon emulsion) and simultaneous substitution with specific substrates. We used 18 mongrel dogs subdivided into 2 groups (1st group: perfluorocarbon emulsion; 2nd group: blood); the perfusion time was 9 h. In addition to parameters to control the medium of the perfusion solution, we measured parameters that would allow us to assess the success of the extended perfusion. These parameters were high-energy phosphates and, in particular, electron optical analysis. At the end of the perfusion period, electron optical analysis revealed a mild and reversible ischemic reaction by the myocardial cells in both groups. However, statistical analysis showed (1) a significant increase in the ischemic reaction for both groups over the perfusion period (P = 0.02), and (2) a significant, even more pronounced ischemic reaction in the subendocardial myocardium (P = 0.025). It should be noted that distinctly interstitial edema developed during the perfusion period and that this would appear to be a fairly critical problem with extended continuous isolated heart perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silber
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eigel
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D004489:Edema, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D010477:Perfusion; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D005466:Fluorocarbons