INFLUENCE OF STORAGE SOLUTIONS ON VASCULA R REACTIVITY OF HUMAN SAPHENOUS VEINS

It is mandatory to preserve the vascular tone regulation of the saphen ous vein in order to optimize its performance as a vascular conduit. T o determine the optimal preservation solution, human saphenous vein se gments (3-4 cm) were harvested, stored for 60 minutes in different pre servation solutions and studied in organ chambers for endothelial and smooth muscle assessment. A 1(st) group (n = 10) was stored in the hep arinized blood of the patient (SH), a 2(nd) group (n = 10) in physiolo gic saline solution (NaCl) and a 3(rd) group (n = 10) in Krebs Ringer (KR) solution. All solutions were maintained at room temperature (21 d egrees C). Each preserved segment was paired to a control segment, har vested in the same patient, and studied before storage. Following 60 m inutes of preservation decreased endothelial-dependent relaxation to a cetylcholine-and histamine was observed among the group stored in KR ( p = 0.06 and p < 0.02 respectively) compared to the other groups. Endo thelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside was not affecte d regardless of the solution used. However, veins stored in SH disclos ed an increased contractility to norepinephrine (p < 0.04). When inter group variability was considered (by variance analysis), no significan t difference was seen between each group. This study suggests that KR and SII were not as efficient as NaCl inpreserving saphenous endotheli al function. Furthermore, storage in SH increased smooth muscle respon se to catecholamine. In this experimental setup, 0.9% NaCl solution is an acceptable preservation solution of the saphenous vein.