A rat model of liver transplantation with a steatotic donor liver after cardiac death

Abstract

Objective This study aims to establish a rat liver transplantation model with a steatotic donor liver after cardiac death, imitating the clinical situation. Methods Rats were fed a high-fat diet for 5 weeks to establish the fatty liver rats which were as donors. A pneumothorax was created in the donor rat to induce hypoxia and cardiac arrest before cutting the liver, which simulated the processes of hypoxia and cardiac arrest caused by withdrawal of treatment in real clinical situations. The obtained cardiac death donor liver was then transplanted by using the Kamada’s. Results Of 40 cases, the surgical success rate was 95%, the donor surgery period was (35.7±4.2) min; cardiac arrest period, (9.0±0.8) min; recipient surgery period, (40.3±4.9) min; and no-liver period, (15.0±2.5) min. 2 rats died within 24 h and the week survival rate was 90%. The transaminase levels at post-transplantation days 1, 3, 5, and 7 were (835.36±71.24), (1 334.58±102.03), (536.66±65.12), and (218.21±36.52) U/L, respectively. Conclusion This is a practical model with high achievement ratio, and can better simulate the pathophysiological processes of clinical donation after cardiac death, and can be used as an animal model for studying transplantation with a steatotic liver donated after cardiac death. Key words: Rat; Liver transplantation; Cardiac death; Steatosis