EXTENDED PRESERVATION OF THE LIVER WITH UW SOLUTION - IS IT JUSTIFIABLE

The outcome of 228 liver grafts in 208 elective adult recipients was a ssessed to identify any adverse effects of extending the length of col d preservation with UW solution beyond 12 hr. A total of 114 grafts ha d been preserved <12 hr-median 9.5 (group I) and 114 >12 hr-median 14. 5 (group II). Intraoperative blood and blood product usage, graft func tion, hospital stay, and graft and patient survival were identical in the two groups. Biliary strictures occurred in 5.7% of grafts (8 anast omotic (3 group I, 5 group II; 5 hilar/nonanastomotic: 3 group I, 2 gr oup II). There was no graft or patient loss due to the hilar stricture s but 1 patient died following reconstruction of an anastomotic strict ure (0.4%). It is concluded that extending the cold preservation to ap proximately 15 hr does not adversely affect outcome after liver transp lantation.