Two-cuff technique was applied in the establishment of orthotopic liver transplantation in rats

Objective: To establishment an ideal model for orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods: SD rats were used as experimental animals.Two-cuff(portal vein and infrahepatic vena cava)technique was applied in the establishment of orthotopic liver transplantation in rats.Survival time of recipient rats were analyzed and morphological investigations were studied on the grafts after liver transplantation. Results: With the modification,a successful rate of 100% was achieved in the production of the experimental model.Donor operating time was 25~35 min;the grafts cold ischemic time was 40~55 min;recipients operating time was 45~65 min with anhepatic period of 13~24 min.Two week survival rate of recipients was 93%.Hepatocellular necrosis was observed on day 7~14 after liver transplantation and a large numbers of mononuclear cells infiltrating into the portal areas.On day 30 after liver transplantation,the parenchyma cells showed a nearly normal appearance,bile duct proliferation was seen in portal areas,and a few diploid hepatocytes were found. Conclusion: The liver transplantation model using two-cuff technique is easily available and highly reproducible.This model can be used in experimental study on physiological and immunological change after liver transplantation.