The intrapulmonary thrombi that form after the cessation of circulation are thought to be one of the major causes of graft function failure. We evaluated the effect of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in a canine cadaver lung transplant model. Donor dogs were killed by the intravenous administration of pancuronium bromide without heparinization, and left for 2 h at room temperature. The donor lungs were then flushed with low potassium dextran glucose (LPDG) solution, being subjected to a total ischemic time of 3 h. Following left lung transplantation, the contralateral pulmonary artery of the recipient dogs was ligated. In group 1 (n = 6), chloride solution was administered from the main pulmonary artery for 90 min, commencing 15 min prior to reperfusion. In group 2 (n = 6), 2.5 microg/kg per min of rt-PA, and in group 3 (n = 6), 5.0 microg/kg per min of rt-PA, were continuously infused in the same manner as in group 1. Lung function, including arterial blood gases and pulmonary hemodynamics, was measured for 3 h. The side effects of rt-PA were evaluated by measuring the prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, alpha2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha2-PI), plasminogen, and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP). All of the animals in the three groups survived throughout the observation period. The group 3 animals had significantly better gas exchange than the group 1 animals, and the pulmonary hemodynamics were significantly better in the group 2 and 3 animals than in the group 1 animals. The FDP levels in the group 2 and 3 animals were significantly higher than those in the group 1 animals, while the PT and APTT were significantly prolonged in the group 3 animals. These findings led us to conclude that rt-PA improves early lung function, particularly pulmonary hemodynamics.