title: Impact of initial flush potassium concentration on the adequacy of lung preservation.
abstract: The effects of initial lung flushing with intracellular and extracellular fluid type solutions were studied in lungs stored with the University of Wisconsin solution. Excised Sprague-Dawley rat lungs (n = 39) were flushed first with one of the following solutions: (1) the University of Wisconsin solution (K+ = 140 mmol/L), (2) modified (low potassium) University of Wisconsin solution (K+ = 20 mmol/L), (3) phosphate buffered saline solution (K+ = 3.9 mmol/L), (4) modified low-potassium phosphate-buffered saline solution (K+ = 20 mmol/L), (5) modified high-potassium phosphate-buffered saline solution (K+ = 40 mmol/L), and (6) Euro-Collins solution (K+ = 115 mmol/L) followed by secondary flush with storage solution and cold (4 degrees C) storage in University of Wisconsin solution for 24 hours. The lungs were then reperfused in the isolated, pulsatile, blood-perfused working lung system for 2 hours or until lung failure. Blood gas analysis and shunt fraction, aerodynamic parameters (airway resistance, lung compliance, elastic work, and flow resistive work), and total pulmonary vascular resistance were measured throughout the perfusion period. The mean oxygen tensions (in millimeters of mercury) at 30 minutes after the onset of reperfusion for University of Wisconsin solution, modified University of Wisconsin solution, phosphate-buffered saline solution, modified phosphate-buffered saline solutions (20 and 40 mmol/L), and Euro-Collins solution were 56.1 +/- 4.2, 72.7 +/- 9.1, 87.7 +/- 6.9 (p < 0.01 versus University of Wisconsin solution; p < 0.01 versus Euro-Collins solution), 86.0 +/- 9.6 (p < 0.01 versus University of Wisconsin solution; p < 0.01 versus Euro-Collins solution), 87.9 +/- 7.7 (p < 0.01 versus University of Wisconsin solution; p < 0.01 versus Euro-Collins solution), and 53.5 +/- 6.0, respectively. All aerodynamic parameters in the lungs flushed with extracellular fluid type solutions were superior to those flushed with intracellular fluid type solutions. We conclude that the efficacy of initial flushing was essential for successful lung preservation and that extracellular fluid type solutions were superior to intracellular fluid type solutions, at least for flushing the lung before storage with University of Wisconsin solution. Potassium concentration in flushing solution should be 20 mmol/L or less to obtain appropriate flushing and subsequent adequate distribution of the storage solution.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 02215, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: McCully
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: LoCicero
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000737:chemistry; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011887:Raffinose / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C037096:Euro-Collins' solution; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D007328:Insulin; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; C055206:University of Wisconsin-lactobionate solution; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000493:Allopurinol; D005978:Glutathione; D000241:Adenosine; D011887:Raffinose; D011188:Potassium