ISOLATED KIDNEY CONTROLLED PERFUSION WITH TRUE PHYSIOLOGICAL PULSATILE WAVE-FORM

A computer controlled perfusion system has been developed to study the behavior of perfused kidneys in several conditions. The system is des igned to perform kidney perfusions at constant pressure and low temper ature (about 4 degrees C). We compared 2 types of perfusion pumps. a c lassical roller pump widely used in hemodialysis circuits and a vacuum powered tubular pump with active valves developed by our group and ab le to produce a flow pattern very similar to the pulse wave in the hum an circulatory system. In this preliminary study, we show the hydrodyn amics obtained with both pumps in isolated hypothermic kidneys perfuse d with this system. The different flow patterns with both pumps seem t o determine differences in the preservation conditions of the kidney.