Establishment and evaluation of models for small-for-size graft injury without veno-venous bypass in miniature pigs / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To establish small-for-size (SFS) graft injury models in miniature pigs with high standardization, reproducibility and similarity to clinical situation. Methods Ba-Ma miniature pigs were introduced in this study and orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTs) were performed in 12 pigs with 30% liver volume allogeneil grafts (small portion of right paramedian lobe, right lateral lobe and caudate lobe) without veno-venous bypass. The profiles of intra-operational hemodynamics and metabolism were investigated. Animals were observed for 7 days with daily serum biochemistry and coagulation function exam. The survival rate related to operation itself and the SFS grafts were respectively calculated as well as the graft regenerative ratio at post-operational day (POD) 7. Results Graft weight as a percentage of the recipient's native liver weight (GW/RLW) and the total body weight (GW/BW) were (28. 63±4. 42)% and (0. 73±0.06)%. The mean operation time, anhepatic phase, and the time of blockage of infra-hepatic IVC were (191. 7±14. 2) min, (28. 3±3. 6) min, and (45. 0±5. 8) min. The survival rate related to the operation itself and the SFS graft were 83. 33% (10/12) and 40% (4/10), and the graft regenerative ratio at POD7 was (278. 06±42. 95) %. Contrast to the remarkable increase of heart rate and serum potassium during anhepatic phase, the mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, rectal temperature, PH value and buffer excess had a significant decrease (P<0.01) with a gradual recovery after reperfusioa Serum ALT, AST, PT, Cr, and TB were significantly increased with a peak level at POD1 for the former 4 and POD2 for TB, and then began to decrease and favorably recovered at POD7, but TB, PT, and AST levels were still high when compared to those of prereperfusion (P<0. 05). Conclusion This model of OLT performed with 30% liver volume graft without veno-venous bypass was an ideal large animal model for series studies related to SFS graft injury.