Transplantation proceedings
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We measured the functional and metabolic status of hearts submitted to normothermic ischemia before preservation through the use of an ex vivo pig heart model to assess the feasibility of donation after cardiac death (DCD) in heart transplantation. ⋯ We reported no cardiac functional and metabolic recovery in the DCD group after normothermic ischemia and reperfusion, which indicates that a single immersion of the cardiac graft during storage does not provide an optimal protection. New strategies in heart preservation are necessary for recruiting heart donation after cardiac death.
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Preservation of donor hearts for transplantation has traditionally been performed with the use of static cold storage. We have developed and tested a novel gravity-powered system of cold crystalloid perfusion for prolonged donor heart preservation. ⋯ Continuous hypothermic crystalloid perfusion provides myocardial preservation superior to cold storage for long-term heart preservation, with potential applicability to marginal and donation after circulatory death hearts.