OXYGENATION OF DOG LIVER-TRANSPLANTS AS AN EARLY INDICATOR OF GRAFT FAILURE

This study examines the potential value of liver oxygenation as a pred ictor of early graft function. pO(2) measurements were performed on 10 pairs of beagle (donor) and foxhound (recipient) dogs during pentobar bital anesthesis. Two different explantation techniques were used: com plete preparation and dissection before perfusion and explantation (gr oup A) or rapid perfusion and explantation with detailed preparation o f the liver and dissection of vessels ex situ after explantation (grou p B). In both groups, the technique of liver perfusion with 1,000 ml a rterial and 500 ml portovenous application of ice-cold UW solution was equal. Local oxygen partial pressure values were obtained polarograph ically with miniaturized needle electrodes. The liver oxygenation dire ctly after laparotomy was comparable in both groups (median values aro und 54 mm Hg). Prior to the infusion of UW solution, a reduction of th e tissue oxygenation values to 24 mm Hg was observed in group A (p < 0 .01 compared to postlaparotomy values). In group B, limited preexplant ation surgical dissection resulted in a reduced pO(2) decline to 42 mm Hg (n.s.). After transplantation, the reduced tissue oxygenation pers isted in the livers of the dogs which were completely dissected in sit u (group B) as compared to the preexplantation recipient and the donor liver before instrumentation (p < 0.01). In contrast, rapidly perfuse d livers again exhibited only an insignificant reduction of tissue oxy genation following transplantation. Survival correlated linearly with the liver oxygenation within the observation time after transplantatio n (p < 0.01). A significant survival advantage was found for the rapid perfusion technique (p < 0.05). We conclude that the tissue oxygenati on might provide valuable information on early graft function.