HISTOPATHOLOGIC CHANGES IN HUMAN SMALL-INTESTINE DURING STORAGE IN VIASPAN ORGAN PRESERVATION SOLUTION

Objective. - To evaluate the histopathologic changes that occur in hum an small intestine or time when preserved in Viaspan organ preservatio n solution. Design. - Short segments of human small intestine were pla ced in standard organ preservation solution (Viaspan) and stored in co nditions that mimic the clinical situation associated with clinical or gan procurement, preservation, and transplantation. The intestinal seg ments were removed at sequential time points and placed in 10% formali n. Specimens underwent histopathologic examination to determine time-r elated changes. Specimens. - Short intestinal segments were obtained f rom seven multiorgan cadaver donors. Specimens were obtained in a way that exactly mimicked small intestinal organ retrieval. Results. - Sma ll intestinal histology remained normal for the first 6 hours. After 6 hours, vacuolar separation began to occur between the epithelium and the basement membrane in the upper half of the villi. After 9 hours of cold preservation, epithelial detachment extended deep into the crypt s with occasional shedding of cells and villi. Conclusions. - Currentl y used small intestinal preservation using Viaspan results in consider able histopathologic changes in human jejunum after 9 hours of cold st orage. The histopathologic pattern appears normal for the first 6 hour s and suggests that preservation times should be limited to this time period when possible.