title: [A new transportable machine for the preservation of livers to be transplanted by means of hyperbaric oxygenation perfusion].
abstract: The preservation of livers to be transplanted is currently obtained by static cold storage at 4 C degrees and flushing with UW solution. New methods of preservation are being studied that take advantage of machines for continuous hypothermic perfusion of the organ. Such machines have permitted a lengthening of preservation times and the use of livers from non-beating-heart donors. In an attempt to eliminate the damage due to hypothermia, to lengthen preservation times, and to extend the availability of livers to be transplanted, also using those subjected to short periods of warm ischaemia, we have constructed a transportable machine that produces a hyperbaric atmosphere and allows continuous perfusion of the liver. Ten pig livers from beating-heart donors were perfused with Ringer solution in hyperbaric conditions with oxygen at temperatures ranging from 10 to 25 degrees C for periods of up to 24 hours and studied by means of histopathological analysis and tests of mitochondrial activity (FAU) in order to verify cell viability. The group of livers perfused up to 15 hours yielded an FAU value of 169.40 +/- 5.5 compared to the value of the non-perfused livers (controls) established as 100 and those perfused up to 24 hours had a FAU value of 139.18 +/- 10.7 compared to the controls established as 100, thus demonstrating cell viability. The viability of the organs after preservation with our procedure in the hyperbaric oxygenation perfusion machine gives us good reason to believe that, after appropriate further confirmation of the results, it will be possible to use the machine for the transplantation both of livers subjected to warm ischaemia and of livers preserved for longer periods than is currently the case.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale e Specialità Chirurgiche, Ospedale di Stato della Repubblica di San Marino, San Marino.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubbini
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Longobardi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rimessi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinton
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morri
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Semprini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pistone
authors.forename: Loris
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Volpinari
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D004867:Equipment Design; D005978:Glutathione / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011887:Raffinose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; C055206:University of Wisconsin-lactobionate solution; D000493:Allopurinol; D005978:Glutathione; D000241:Adenosine; D011887:Raffinose