Effect of nutritional status on hypothermic liver perfusion.

The effect of nutritional status on livers preserved either by simple cold storage or by hypothermic perfusion was studied using isolated rat liver perfusion model. Livers either form fed or fasted rats were preserved for 18 hours by simple cold storage procedure with UW solution, or continuously perfused for 12 hours at 5 or 20 degrees C. Each liver was assessed by one hour normothermic reperfusion following preservation period. Fasted livers in each preservation procedure demonstrated deterioration of hepatocytes more than fed livers assessed by AST, ALT and LDH liberation into perfusate. PNP in the perfusion procedures showed no difference between fasted and fed livers. Slight sinusoidal lining cells changes and vacuolization in hepatocytes were preferential in all groups. Patchy areas of hepatocytic discoloration were often seen in fasted group in each preservation procedure. The nutritional status of hepatic graft is important in both simple storage and continuous perfusion preservation method.