title: The basic science aspect of donor heart preservation: a review.
abstract: In cardiac transplantation, the transport time between harvest and recipient is limited by the viability of the donor heart. The problem of viability is a consistent limitation in cardiac transplantation. Since the 1960s, techniques, including hypothermia, perfusion, oxygenation, and hyperbaria, have been used to prolong the preservation of the transplantable heart. Continuing development of cardioplegic solutions has minimized edema and oxygen radical formation, which have resulted in extension of the donor heart viability. New research into the events leading to necrosis, oncosis, and apoptosis may allow further advancement of protective cardioplegic solutions in combination with technology of transporting the heart. With a prolonged preservation time there is potential to increase the donor pool and ultimately improve post-operative outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. rivar011@umn.edu
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rivard
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gallegos
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004489:Edema, Cardiac; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009926:Organ Preservation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species