Non heart beating organ donor: new experimental model in pigs.

PURPOSE: To describe technical aspects of a new experimental model that simulates a non heart beating organ donor. METHODS: Landrace pigs were operated on and cardiac arrest was obtained by means of myocardial infarction and interruption of ventilator support. RESULTS: Mean cardiac frequency, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, central venous pressure, oxygen saturation and concentration of expired CO(2) dropout occurred at seven minutes after cardiac arrest. CONCLUSION: The procedure was easily reproduced and a homogeneous circulatory failure could de obtained by the end of seven minutes. The model is suitable for further studies regarding abdominal organ transplantation.