TECHNICAL DETAILS FOR SAFER VENOUS AND BILIARY ANASTOMOSES FOR LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION IN THE RAT

Although orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat is a well-establi shed experimental model, no detailed illustrated description of the pr ocedure is available in the literature. As a result, achieving success in the technique without prolonged learning time requires training in specialized centers where the step-by-step details essential to succe ss in the technique can be learnt. The aim of this paper is to provide beginners with the culminative experience of 15 years of improvements made to Kamada's original model, clearly illustrating the necessary s teps and fine detail of each anastomosis to help beginners avoid unnec essary complications. We hope that this complete description of orthot opic liver transplantation in the rat, which remains the most difficul t rodent transplant model to master, will greatly help microsurgeons a cquire this demanding procedure. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.