title: Preservation of rat cremaster muscle microcirculation after prolonged cold storage and transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microvascular surgery for the reconstruction of complex defects involves an ischemic period, which may cause flap failure as the result of ischemia/reperfusion injury. We assessed the microvascular consequences of rat cremaster muscle transplantation after prolonged periods of cold storage in HTK-Bretschneider solution (HTK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cremaster muscle transplantations were performed immediately or after 8 or 24 h of cold storage (4 degrees C) in HTK or saline. Intravital microscopy was used to quantify capillary perfusion and venular leukocyte-endothelium interactions following transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The transplantation procedure itself resulted in 50-65 min of ischemia. After direct transplantation, capillary perfusion was 90% of control. Transplantation after 8 h of cold storage in either HTK or saline did not deteriorate capillary perfusion. When the tissue was stored for 24 h, HTK was superior to saline in preserving capillary perfusion (HTK: 76-83% of control, saline: 30%). Immediate transplantation induced a small increase in leukocyte adhesion. Prolonged cold storage in either fluid resulted in reduced flow velocities (qualitative observations) and edema formation, which hampered quantification of leukocyte-endothelium interactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even after 8 or 24 h of cold storage in HTK, transplantation of rat cremaster muscle was successful with good capillary perfusion. Capillary perfusion was better preserved in HTK than in saline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive & Hand Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. jbastiaanse@gmx.net
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bastiaanse
authors.forename: Lloyd V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Nanhekhan
authors.forename: Dick W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Slaaf
authors.forename: Willy D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Boeckx
authors.forename: Mirjam G A
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: oude Egbrink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004487:Edema; D005947:Glucose; D007511:Ischemia; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol; D008833:Microcirculation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation*; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D011343:Procaine; D051381:Rats; D015424:Reperfusion; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C039984:Bretschneider cardioplegic solution; D008353:Mannitol; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011343:Procaine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005947:Glucose