EFFICACY OF PROSTAGLANDIN I-2 ANALOG ON LIVER GRAFTS SUBJECTED TO 30 MINUTES OF WARM ISCHEMIA

Due to the fact that no effective conditioning agent for hemodynamical ly unstable donors exists, the number of suitable donors is limited, T he efficacy of OP-41483, a stable analog of prostaglandin I-2, as a co nditioning agent of the liver was investigated in this study using pig s, OP-41483 was administered via the portal tributary for 10 min befor e 30 min of warm ischemia, Graft livers were procured after perfusion with OP-41483 in cold normal saline, then flushed with OP-41483 in Eur o-Collins solution and placed in cold storage prior to orthotopic tran splantation. OP-41483 was also administered intraportally for 120 min after reperfusion, Biochemical and histological studies, and survival rates were compared with a control group not given OP-41483 in an othe rwise similar experimental protocol. The graft function recovered bett er in the OP group than in the control group, shown by the lactate val ues and lactate-to-pyruvate ratios, The marked congestion noted in the parenchyma of the control group livers was minimal in the OP group, v erifying the microcirculatory effect of prostaglandin I-2 by its vasod ilatory and antithrombotic actions, These findings suggest that OP-414 83 has some protective effect as a conditioning agent in liver transpl antation, with timing of administration being crucial.