Improved Function with Extra-Corporeal Pig-Liver Perfusion by Exclusion of Cooling Phase

Abstract

Winch, J., Kolthammer, J. C., Hague, R., Williams, Desiree & Williams, R. Improved function with extra-corporeal pig-liver perfusion by exclusion of cooling phase. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1973, 8, 725-730.

There is a considerable functional deficit in the pig liver perfused in an extra-corporeal circuit when compared to function in situ. In a series of 36 isolated pig-liver perfusions, using bile flow, uptake of bromosulphthalein (BSP) from the perfusate, and excretion of BSP in bile as indices of biochemical function, a significant improvement in perfused liver function was obtained when cooling and re-warming were excluded from the method of preparation. This improvement was obtained whether the perfusate was porcine or human blood, and there was no increase in uptake of ^12SI-fibrinogen by the perfused liver associated with the improvement in biochemical function.

Key-words::

• Bromosulphthalein
• fulminant hepatic failure
• ¹²⁵I-fibrinogen
• porcine or human blood