Transplantation of cadaver hearts in canine model

Research Project

Project/Area Number	09671381
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Thoracic surgery
Research Institution	Okayama University
Principal Investigator	SANO Shunji OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL, PROFESSOR, 医学部, 教授 (50235438)
Project Period (FY)	1997 – 1998
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000) Fiscal Year 1997: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
Keywords	non-heart-beating donor / heart transplantation / reperfusion / cardiac function / 移植 / 心臓移植 / Emax
Research Abstract	We attempted to establish a method to utilize the non-beating heart. [Methods] A total of thirteen dogs were used in this study. Cardiac arrest was induced by exsanguination. The hearts were left in situ at room temperature for 60 minutes. Then the hearts were excised and reperfused in the ex-vivo perfusion apparatus, similar to the Langendorff apparatus. The hearts were tested whether they could keep ejecting in the apparatus against 80 mmHg of afterload with 10 mmHg of preload and then transplanted orthotopically. [Results] Fore of 13 hearts could keep ejecting in the apparatus, and they showed good hemodynamics (systolic arterial pressure > 80 mmHg with mean left atrial pressure < 10 mmHg) without dopamine after transplantation. However the other 9 hearts could not keep ejecting in the apparatus. Only 6 of these hearts could be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass, but could not keep good hemodynamics without dopamine. [Conclusion] Donor heart function evaluated in the perfusion apparatus well predict the post-transplant donor heart function prior to orthotopic heart transplantation. Moreover, the former showed comparable systolic function with pre-cardiac arrest value. Our method could be useful in selection of transplantable hearts in the non-heart-beating donors.