title: Technical modifications of the orthotopic lung transplantation model in rats with brain-dead donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microsurgical lung transplantation in rats has allowed us to obtain new knowledge about lung transplantation. However, some aspects in human transplantation technique still have not been included in this model, which could interfere with the clinical interpretation and extrapolation of results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty left lung transplantations were performed with a cuff technique and technical modifications, such as brain death induction, the control of ischemia time and retrograde perfusion in the donor and the controlled sequential reperfusion of the implanted lung in the recipient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival rate was 80%. The transplanted lungs showed proper perfusion and ventilation with good permeability of the anastomoses. Signs of ischemia-reperfusion injury were observed in all animals while mild acute rejection was seen in half of them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The model shown proves valid and is very similar to the procedure carried out in humans, which would reduce the number of possible variables derived from the surgical technique when extrapolating the study results to clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cirugía Experimental, Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España. norbesr@terra.es
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santana Rodríguez
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Llontop Santisteban
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López García
authors.forename: Bernardino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clavo
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Ponce González
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Bermejo
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García Castellano
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García Herrera
authors.forename: Keila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zerecero
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ruíz Caballero
authors.forename: Yanira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Brito Godoy
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varela De Ugarte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001926:Brain Death; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014019:Tissue Donors