TISSUE PH IN COLD-STORED HUMAN DONOR LIVERS PRESERVED IN UNIVERSITY-OF-WISCONSIN SOLUTION - A NONINVASIVE CLINICAL-STUDY WITH P-31-MAGNETICRESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

It is not known whether the tissue acidosis that accompanies cold stor age is the beginning of irreversible cell injury, ultimately leading t o cell death, or whether it is a natural ''protective'' mechanism for cells to survive hypoxic periods. To answer this question, the tissue pH of 45 cold-stored human donor livers preserved in University of Wis consin solution (UW) was assessed shortly before implantation using no ninvasive P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We conclude that tissu e pH during cold storage may be partly dependent upon hepatic glycogen stores and donor age. The wide range of tissue pH values that was obs erved at the time of implantation does not result in significant effec ts on cellular damage after transplantation. This indicates that tissu e pH is not a major determinant for the viability of UW solution-prese rved human donor livers, as indicated by postoperative hepatocellular damage and liver synthesis function. The membrane stabilizing and buff ering capacity of UW solution appears to protect liver viability again st tissue acidosis. Our results also indicate that liver tissue pH can be lower than has been previously assumed in the literature without s ignificant adverse effects on liver viability.