Improvement of rat lung structure and function after preservation with Celsior

Ischemia/reperfusion-induced increase in pulmonary microvascular permeabili ty was shown to be reduced after preservation with Celsior. We investigated reimplantation-induced lung injury in isolated, reperfused rat lungs after preservation via the pulmonary artery with Celsior, Celsior + prostacyclin , and reduced-potassium (40 mmol) Euro-Collins solution (40 ml/kg/body wt e ach) followed by 2 h of cold ischemia. Arterial and veneous oxygen tensions were recorded during 50 min of in vitro reperfusion after which the lungs (10 right lungs per experimental group) were fixed by vascular perfusion. T he tissue was further processed for microscopy, and histological changes we re quantified stereologically. Lung preservation with Celsior resulted in a significantly higher volume of air-filled alveolar space with a large prop ortion of widely distended alveoli compared with the other groups. In the E uro-Collins group the fraction of atelectatic alveoli exceeded that observe d in Celsior-preserved lungs. In accordance, the difference between arteria l and venous oxygen tensions was significant among Euro-Collins- and Celsio r-protected lungs, with improved oxgenation values in the Celsior group. In contrast, addition of prostacyclin to Celsior treatment resulted in rather variable structural as well as functional data. There were no differences in the volumes of intraalveolar edema among the groups tested. However, the volume of alveolar tissue was increased in the Euro-Collins group. In conc lusion, compared with Euro-Collins and Celsior + prostacyclin solutions, pr eservation with Celsior resulted in improved structural characteristics whi ch in combination with improved oxygenation parameters supports the prospec tive advantage of Celsior in clinical organ preservation. (C) 1999 Academic Press.