Fertility Restoration—Uterine Transplantation Using a Macrovascular Patch Technique

Abstract

The procedure of uterine cross transplantation in a rabbit model using a macrovascular patch technique is described. The uterine allograft was harvested along with the aorta, inferior vena cava, common and internal iliacs and uterine arterial and venous tree all intact which was then preserved in a transplant solution ex vivo for 1 hour. The aorto-caval patch of the uterine allograft was anastomosed to the recipient’s aorta/vena cava using an end to side anastomosis. Following post-mortem and histological analyses postoperatively, all uteri appeared viable with no evidence of vessel thromboses.