Canine lung transplantation after more than twenty-four hours of normothermic preservation

BACKGROUND: Consistent clinical results have not been achieved when lung preservation times exceed 6 hours. The aim of this study was to use an alternative normothermic autoperfusion technique for lung preservation and transplantation. METHODS: In six paired dogs, donor lungs were removed, along with the heart, liver, pancreas, duodenum, and both kidneys, and were preserved for 24 to 33 hours in a normothermic autoperfused multiple organ block. Orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed at the end of the preservation period. RESULTS: Lung function was good during the preservation period. With a gas mixture of 50% O2 + 3% CO2 + 47% N2 delivered to the multiorgan block, arterial oxygen tension ranged from 331 +/- 19 to 383 +/- 8 mm Hg; carbon dioxide tension ranged from 18 +/- 5 to 32 +/- 5 mm Hg; and pH ranged from 7.36 +/- 0.02 to 7.45 +/- 0.08. After transplantation, the dogs were kept anesthetized and ventilated for 24 hours with the same gas mixture. The opposite pulmonary artery was occluded 0 to 6 hours after transplantation. Arterial blood pressures were stable after surgery. Arterial oxygen tension was maintained between 205 +/- 39 and 320 +/- 57 mm Hg, and arterial carbon dioxide tension was maintained between 23 +/- 2 and 34 +/- 2 mm Hg. Lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio was 4.94 +/- 0.17 after preservation; this ratio did not differ from that found in normal controls (4.91 +/- 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the lungs were well preserved for more than 24 hours of preservation when the normothermic multiorgan block preparation was used. The transplanted left lung was able to support the anesthetized dog after the opposite pulmonary artery was occluded.