Rat liver transplantation for total vascular reconstruction, using a suture method

✍ Scribed by Seiichiro Inoue; Kazunori Tahara; Hisashi Shimizu; Hiroyuki Yoshino; Chihiro Suzuki; Takashi Kaneko; Yoji Hakamata; Masafumi Takahashi; Takashi Murakami; Michio Kaneko; Eiji Kobayashi

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 182 KB
• Volume: 23
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0738-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/micr.10168

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

We developed a novel protocol for rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), using a suture method to establish hepatic artery flow. After determining that early inferior vena cava (IVC) unclamping maintained better circulation compared with the portal vein (PV) using porto‐systemic shunted recipients, we developed a rat OLT model with total vascular reconstruction using a suture method. After connecting the suprahepatic IVC, the infrahepatic IVC was anastomosed, using a running suture method. IVC circulation was established immediately. The PV was anastomosed without intestinal congestion, using porto‐systemic shunted recipients. The aortic conduit, including the donor celiac and hepatic artery, was anastomosed to the recipient abdominal aorta end‐to‐side. Eight of 11 OLT cases (72.7%) survived indefinitely. Biliary connection was achieved using a one‐stent method. Three cases died 3–5 days postoperatively. Hepatic angiography showed good patency. The graft liver was histologically normal in long‐surviving rats. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:470–475 2003