24-HOUR RABBIT HEART STORAGE WITH UW SOLUTION

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Abstract
A new techniqe for 24-hr cardiac preservation is described utilizing very low flow perfusion (microperfusion) with a cold flush solution. Rabbit hearts were arrested with UW solution and then perfused with the same solution through the aortic root at 0.degree.C at a rate of 3-6 ml/gm heart weight/24 hr. When tested on an ex vivo working heart model, the cardiac output (CO) was 28.72 .+-. 7.69 ml/g/min compared with fresh UW flushed controls of 26.48 .+-. 2.25 mg/g/min. Both oxygenated high-flow perfusion with a more conventional perfusate and 24-hr ice storage with UW led to inferior results. Omission of the colloid, hydroxethyl starch (HES), from the UW solution or prolonged shelf storage were also significantly detrimental. When a previously untested colloid, polyethylene glycol 20,000, was substituted for HES for microperfusion, excellent cardiac function was obtained. In fact, the mean CO of this group, 31.91 .+-. 5.70, was significantly above that of fresh HES-UW unstored controls. The suggestion that the UW solution might be improved by this substitution warrants further study.