Functional and structural integrity of porcine pancreatic grafts subjected to a period of warm ischemia and cold preservation with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (custodiol) or University of Wisconsin solution.

BACKGROUND: University of Wisconsin (UW) solution (Viaspan) is currently used to preserve organs from nonheartbeating donors. Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution (Custodiol) is of proven efficacy in experimental pancreas preservation, but its efficacy in combined warm ischemia (WI) and cold ischemia (CI) is unknown. The viability of HTK-preserved porcine pancreatic grafts was assessed after various periods of WI and compared with grafts flushed and preserved with UW solution.

METHODS: A total of 14 pigs were used: G1 (n=4, UW) and G2 (n=4, HTK) with 15-min WI and 16-hr cold storage; G3 (n=3, UW) and G4 (n=3, HTK) with 30-min WI and 16-hr cold storage.

RESULTS: All animals in G1 and G2 were normoglycemic, whereas only 66% of pancreases were functioning in G3 and G4. HTK perfusion was associated with increased wet weight. Transient hyperinsulinemia was noted in all the groups on postoperative day 1 (mean range: 8.9-12.4 microU/L). Postoperative serum amylase and lipase were more pronounced in G3 and G4. However, HTK-stored grafts exhibited less evidence of biochemical pancreatitis as compared with UW-stored grafts on the first postoperative day in the group with 15-min WI. Mean K values of intravenous glucose tolerance tests on postoperative day 14 were similar in both groups. Vascular congestion was uniformly observed and was considered a typical feature of WI.

CONCLUSIONS: Porcine pancreatic grafts are viable after 16-hr CI following 15-min WI in this experimental nonheartbeating donor model. HTK solution seems to provide reliable graft function in this setting and to be equivalent to UW.