title: Improvements of the surgical technique on the established mouse model of orthotopic single lung transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A wide range of knockout and transgenic murine models for the study of nonimmune and immune mechanisms in lung transplants are available nowadays, but the microsurgical techniques are difficult to learn. We describe methods to simplify techniques and facilitate learning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Traditional procedures were implemented to perform lung transplants in 30 cases (group 1). Improved techniques which included cuff without tail, broadening of the cuff diameter for bronchus, establishment of one tunnel between three structures, innovative technology of the vascular anastomosis and placement of the chest tube post-operation were used to perform lung transplants in 30 cases (group 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The improved techniques considerably shorten operative times (96.75 ± 6.16 min and 85.32 ± 6.98 min in groups 1 and 2, respectively). The survival rates in the recipient animals were 86.7% and 96.7% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Chest X-rays and macroscopic changes of transplanted recipients showed that grafts were well inflated on postoperative day 30. There was no significant difference of the arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) between two groups (115.9 ± 7.11 mm Hg and 116.3 ± 6.87 mm Hg in groups 1 and 2, respectively). Histologically, no lung injury was seen in grafts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We described the modified procedures of orthotopic left lung transplants in mice, which could shorten operative time and increase survival rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhikun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Xinwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal