Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether shortโterm postoperative immunosuppression is able to sufficiently prolong graft survival after experimental allogeneic parathyroid transplantation. Heterotopic parathyroid transplantation was performed in 6 groups: 1) syngeneic control Lewis (LEW) to LEW; 2) allogeneic control WistarโFurth (WF) to LEW; 3โ5) WF to LEW plus shortโterm immunosuppression, postoperative days 1โ13 (cyclosporine 5/10/20 mg/kg); and 6) WF to LEW plus 10 mg/kg CyA from preoperative day 7 to postoperative day 7. Graft function was examined up to 60 days; histological and immunohistological examination was performed on all grafts with impaired function. Graft function after syngeneic transplantation was indefinite, while recipients of allogeneic grafts turned hypocalcemic after 13 ยฑ 2 days. With immunosuppression, graft function was 21 ยฑ 2 days (groups 5 and 6) and 28 ยฑ 3 days (groups 3 and 4). Histologically, a cellular infiltrate responsible for graft destruction was found. The results show that indefinite parathyroid allograft survival cannot be achieved by shortโterm immunosuppression alone. Whether the combination of an additional graft pretreatment and immunosuppression has an impact on graft function will be further examined. ยฉ 2003 WileyโLiss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:503โ507 2003