Establishment of orthotopic liver transplantation model in pigs without veno-venous bypass

Objective To summarize the experience of orthotopic liver transplantation in pigs without veno-venous bypass.Method In general,Bama miniature pigs were used as both the donors and the recipients.Suprahepatic inferior vena cava and portal vein anastomosis was performed with running prolene sutures.After completion of the portal vein anastomosis,the graft was reperfused.Infrahepatic inferior vena cava anastomosis and hepatic artery anastomosis were performed in a similar fashion.Finally,the common bile duct was reconstructed.Result For all of the transplant procedures,the average cold ischemic time was 356.3 ± 66.4 min and anhepatic time 22.5 ± 2.6 min,and the average operative time was 185.7 ± 24.8 min.During the anhepatic phase,the central venous pressure (CVP) and the mean arterial pressure (MAP) were significantly lower than those at baseline (P＜ 0.05).Heart rate (HR),on the other hand,was increased significantly during the anhepatic phase (P＜0.05).By the time the portal vein and the hepatic artery were reperfused,and CVP and MAP were gradually elevated,and HR gradually reduced.All receptors were successfully extubated and awake after surgeries.On the third postoperative day they began to eat.All receptors survived during the intraoperative period,and the survival rate was 93.8％ (15/16) on the fifth postoperative day.One receptor was died on the third postoperative day due to abdominal infection.Conclusion This model has satisfactory stability and reproducibility.Without using any vasoactive substances,to maintain the MAP beyond 50 mmHg in the anhepatic phase and the short anhepatic time are important to perform successful liver transplantation. Key words: Swine;  Liver transplantation;  Models, animal;  Venovenous bypass