IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION OF PULMONARY FLUSH SOLUTION TO THE TRACHEOBRONCHIAL WALL IN PULMONARY TRANSPLANTATION

This report describes the experimental results obtained with conventio nal (pulmonary artery, PA) flushing versus retrograde perfusion (via l eft atrium, LA) using Tc-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin (MAA-Tc-9 9m) to ascertain the distribution throughout the tracheobronchial (TB) tree in 10 Large-White pigs. Lung preservation was achieved with 4 de grees C Euro-Collins solution (60 ml/kg) instilled via PA (n = 5) or L A (n = 5). Simultaneously, MAA-Tc-99m was given using the same respect ive route and the isotope uptake quantified at different TB levels aft er heart-lung block harvest and dissection of all tissue adjacent to T B: proximal and distal trachea and right and left main bronchi. Retrog rade distribution resulted in a significantly higher Tc-99m count comp ared to the PA route (p < 0.01).