Rat liver transplantation for total vascular reconstruction, using a suture method.
We developed a novel protocol for rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), using a suture method to establish hepatic artery flow. After determining that early inferior vena cava (IVC) unclamping maintained better circulation compared with the portal vein (PV) using porto-systemic shunted recipients, we developed a rat OLT model with total vascular reconstruction using a suture method. After connecting the suprahepatic IVC, the infrahepatic IVC was anastomosed, using a running suture method. IVC circulation was established immediately. The PV was anastomosed without intestinal congestion, using porto-systemic shunted recipients. The aortic conduit, including the donor celiac and hepatic artery, was anastomosed to the recipient abdominal aorta end-to-side. Eight of 11 OLT cases (72.7%) survived indefinitely. Biliary connection was achieved using a one-stent method. Three cases died 3-5 days postoperatively. Hepatic angiography showed good patency. The graft liver was histologically normal in long-surviving rats.
Inoue
Seiichiro
S
Division of Organ Replacement Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Kawachi, Tochigi, Japan.
Tahara
Kazunori
K
Shimizu
Hisashi
H
Yoshino
Hiroyuki
H
Suzuki
Chihiro
C
Kaneko
Takashi
T
Hakamata
Yoji
Y
Takahashi
Masafumi
M
Murakami
Takashi
T
Kaneko
Michio
M
Kobayashi
Eiji
E
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000601:surgery