Abstract
To describe the hemodynamic alterations during orthotopic liver transplantation in pigs. In the period from April 2004 to December 2005, forty-four female Landrace pigs, weighting between 32 and 38 Kg underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. The animals were divided into two groups, donor and recipient pairs, which received whole liver grafts. The surgical procedure was divided into four parts: harvested, back-table, hepatectomy of the recipient and implantation. We analyzed heart rate, blood gas, mean systemic arterial pressure (MAP-mmHg), central venous pressure, pH, Na-, K+, Cl-, Ca+ and urinary output. The mean anhepatic time was 69 min, cold ischemia was 252.2 min and back-table was 56.6 min. Blood pressure and heart rate dropped significantly during anhepatic phase and after revascularization. Blood gas and electrolytes alterations were observed during anhepatic and reperfusion phases. Although alterations were noted during these phases, the hemodynamic status was recovered and stabilized in the end of the surgery. Simplified technique of liver transplant was achieved and description of hemodynamic alterations was possible in pigs.
Highlights
Liver transplantation has become the major treatment for end-stage chronic liver disease and for severe acute liver failure, because of improvements in surgical techniques and development of more powerful immunosuppressive agents
Considerable interest in experimental liver transplantation has been generated recently due to improvements in the results of clinical liver transplantation efforts . 1,2,3,10,11,19,21 Prior to human liver transplantations, exhaustive training is undertaken on an animal model in order to acquire the expertise required for this delicate procedure
These procedures are crucial factors in studies involving experimental liver transplantation in the pig to prevent unacceptably high morbidity and mortality in the transplant recipients . 7,8,9,21 The aim of this study is to describe the hemodynamics alterations during orthotopic liver transplantation in pigs
Summary
Liver transplantation has become the major treatment for end-stage chronic liver disease and for severe acute liver failure, because of improvements in surgical techniques and development of more powerful immunosuppressive agents. Considerable interest in experimental liver transplantation has been generated recently due to improvements in the results of clinical liver transplantation efforts . The technique of a liver transplant the pig has two advantages, it provides an excellent training model of liver transplantation, and an experimental model for research. The pig has been used for experimental liver transplantation and as a model by our experimental team to perfect our clinical liver transplantation technique. These procedures are crucial factors in studies involving experimental liver transplantation in the pig to prevent unacceptably high morbidity and mortality in the transplant recipients . These procedures are crucial factors in studies involving experimental liver transplantation in the pig to prevent unacceptably high morbidity and mortality in the transplant recipients . 7,8,9,21 The aim of this study is to describe the hemodynamics alterations during orthotopic liver transplantation in pigs
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