Acute physiologic changes after extended pulmonary preservation.

The physiologic effects of 12-hour lung preservation were assessed in six mongrel dogs studied for 20 hours after double-lung allograft implantation. Donor animals were pretreated with allopurinol (30 mg/kg) and methylprednisolone (500 mg) intravenously at anesthesia induction. Heart-lung blocks were harvested after cardioplegic arrest, and a simple pulmonary artery flush of 4 degrees C modified Collins' solution was administered at 15 ml/kg/min. The lungs were ventilated with 100% nitrogen during flushing and inflation. Recipient animals received an infusion of deferoxamine (20 mg/kg) during implantation and were pretreated with methylprednisolone (500 mg) intravenously. All six implantations were technically successful. Two animals died of cardiac standstill 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. Gas exchange deteriorated after implantation compared with donor levels but remained in a range compatible with survival, and at 20 hours arterial oxygen tension (FiO2 0.4) was 138 +/- 91 mm Hg. Similar changes were seen in alveolar-arterial oxygen gradients and arterial-alveolar oxygen tension fraction. Elimination of carbon dioxide was satisfactory. Pulmonary venous shunt fraction rose significantly at the end of the study. Hemodynamic changes consisted of a gradual increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and a reduction in cardiac output. Lung mechanics also deteriorated, with a gradual rise in airway resistance and a fall in compliance. The double-lung model allows detailed assessment of the early effects of preservation and may have certain advantages over heart-lung models of preservation. The preservation technique warrants further study.