Seventy-two-hour preservation of the canine liver by machine perfusion

The UW solution effectively preserves the dog live for up to 48 hr by simple cold storage. This solutio contains lactobionate as the primary impermeant. An other solution developed for machine perfusion of th kidney is similar to the UW solution but contains glu conate in place of lactobionate. In this study the UW gluconate solution was used for the continuous hypo thermic machine perfusion of dog livers for 72 hr. Do livers were continuously perfused at 5°C through th portal vein at a pressure of 16-18 mm Hg and trans planted. Seven of 8 dogs survived for 7 or more day following orthotopic transplantation. The livers func tioned as well as those preserved for 48 hr by col storage in the UW solution as indicated by various livei function tests. Successful machine perfusion was onl achieved when the perfusate contained a high conceri tration of potassium (125 niM) but not with a hig concentration of sodium (125 mM). This study demon strates the feasibility of machine-perfusion preservatio of the liver that yields longer preservation of equt quality compared to simple cold storage. For the devel opment of truly long-term preservation (5 or more days and better quality short-term preservation, machin perfusion may be the method of choice.