title: Safe orthotopic transplantation of hearts harvested 24 hours after brain death and preserved for 24 hours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to demonstrate safe orthotopic transplantation of porcine donor hearts harvested 24 hours after brain death and preserved for 24 hours before transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Circulatory normalization of brain dead (decapitated) pigs was obtained using a new pharmacological regimen (n = 10). The donor hearts were perfused at 8 °C in cycles of 15 min perfusion followed by 60 min without perfusion. The perfusate consisted of an albumin-containing hyperoncotic cardioplegic nutrition solution with hormones and erythrocytes. Orthotopic transplantation was done in 10 recipient pigs after 24 hours' preservation. Transplanted pigs were monitored for 24 hours, then an adrenaline stress test was done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All transplanted pigs were stable throughout the 24-hour observation period with mean aortic pressure around 80 mmHg and normal urine production. Mean right and left atrial pressures were in the range of 3-6 and 5-10 mmHg, respectively. Blood gases at 24 hours did not differ from baseline values. The adrenaline test showed a dose dependent response, with aortic pressure increasing from 98/70 to 220/150 mmHg and heart rate from 110 to 185 beats/min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Orthotopic transplantation of porcine hearts harvested 24 hours after brain death and preserved for 24 hours can be done safely.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , Skåne University Hospital, and Lund University, , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , Skåne University Hospital, and Lund University, , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Audrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paskevicius
authors.affiliation: a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , Skåne University Hospital, and Lund University, , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Qiuming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , Skåne University Hospital, and Lund University, , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Trygve
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001926:Brain Death; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D014022:Tissue Survival; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Heart preservation; heart transplantation; organ donor management