Combined pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation in rats

The objective of this work was to establish a stable and simple simultaneou s pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation model in rats. The methods inv olved harvesting a pancreaticoduodenal-kidney (left) (PDK) and I-cm inferio r vena cava (IVC) with a 0.5-cm left and right iliac communis vein from don ors and to "cuff" anastomose between portal vein and right iliac communis v ein, left kidney vein, and left iliac communis vein, converging donor porta l vein and left kidney vein into IVC together. Next, we performed an anasto mosis of the donor arterial segment and recipient abdominal aorta and a "cu ff" anastomosis between donor IVC and recipient left kidney vein. Of 67 tra nsplanted rats in which diabetes was induced, 57 survived >7 days, 55 survi ved 1 month, 54 rats have survived >4 months. In 51 rats, nonfasting plasma glucose levels were euglycemic. We performed three "cuff" anastomoses to s implify the surgical procedure and to shorten the ischemia time of the graf t; the recipient vein system has an integrated endovenous membrane to avoid venous thrombi in venous anastomosis sites. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.