OBJECTIVETo investigate the availability of liver transplantation with non-heart beating (60 min) donors supplied gaseous oxygen by hepatic vein in cold preservation period in pigs.

METHODSThirty-six pigs were randomly divided into three recipient groups and three donor groups (group A-15 min of warm ischaemia, group B-60 min of warm ischaemia and group C-60 min of warm ischaemia with gaseous oxygen by hepatic vein during cold preservation period). OTL was performed after four hours cold preservation. Postoperative 5 days survival rate of the liver metabolic, function and inflammatory reaction were observed.

RESULTSAll animals in group A and C survived after reperfusion for 5 days, but animals in group B died within 3 hours postreperfusion. The damage of liver construction and function were found in group A and group B. There was no significant difference of the changes between group A and C.

CONCLUSIONSGaseous oxygen persufflation during cold preservation has important protective and resuscitative effect for liver from long-time no-heart beating donors. It was possible to become a promising method for liver transplantation with no-hearbeating donors.

Animals ; Cryopreservation ; Heart Arrest ; physiopathology ; Hepatic Veins ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver Transplantation ; Oxygen ; therapeutic use ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Superoxide Dismutase ; therapeutic use ; Swine ; Tissue Donors ; Tissue Preservation ; methods