title: Low-flow perfusion preservation versus static preservation for isolated rat heart: effects on recovery of myocardial function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinically, donor hearts cannot be preserved for >6 hours between explantation and recipient implantation. A better approach is needed to preserve donor hearts for a longer time. We tested whether low-flow perfusion (LFP) could satisfactorily preserve isolated rat hearts with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution or Fuwai modified (FWM) solution.
  
  
  METHODS
  We divided 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly into 4 groups (n = 8): H1, H2, F1, and F2. The Langendorff heart model immersed isolated hearts in the H1 and F1 groups in HTK or FWM solution for 8 hours at 4 °C. Isolated hearts in the H2 and F2 groups were low-flow perfused with HTK solution and FWM solution for 8 hours at a pressure of 10 cmH(2)O at 4 °C. After 60 minutes reperfusion, we measured recovery of cardiac function, myocardial water content, and leakage of myocardial enzymes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After reperfusion, no cardiac rebeating was observed among F1 group hearts; in addition, they showed significantly higher myocardial water content and lactate dehydrogenase leakage compared with the other 3 groups (P < .05). The recovery rates of cardiac function among H2 hearts were better than the other 3 groups (P < .05); their myocardial water content and enzyme leakage were less than the other 3 groups (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypothermic LFP was better than static storage to preserve isolated rat hearts. HTK solution afforded better myocardial protection than FWM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: L-B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C-Q
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004489:Edema, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010477:Perfusion / Q000009:adverse effects; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011343:Procaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*; D017725:Ventricular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C039984:Bretschneider cardioplegic solution; D008353:Mannitol; D011343:Procaine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005947:Glucose