Successful ex vivo normothermic liver perfusion with purely artificial products using artificial blood

• Published in: International journal of artificial organs 2003-01, Vol.26 (1), p.46-52
• Main Authors: Nui, A, Katsuramaki, T, Kikuchi, H, Kukita, K, Nagayama, M, Meguro, M, Kimura, H, Isobe, M, Hirata, K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Blood Substitutes - pharmacology; Female; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - pathology; In Vitro Techniques; Liver - blood supply; Liver - cytology; Liver - drug effects; Liver Circulation; Oxygen Consumption - drug effects; Swine
• ISSN: 0391-3988; 1724-6040
• DOI: 10.1177/039139880302600108

We tried to make an ex vivo functioning liver with an artificial perfusate that consisted of artificial blood in the pig liver. A liver graft from a female pig weighing 20 kg was harvested in the usual manner. The perfusion solution consisted of artificial blood, L-15 medium, distilled water, bovine serum albumin, NaHCO3, NaOH, KCl, human regular insulin, 50% glucose solution, and dexamethasone. The isolated liver was perfused with this oxygenated perfusate through the portal vein at a rate of 300 ml/min for 9 hours. Seven livers were perfused for 9 hours in this system. Five of the livers showed mean oxygen consumption of over 8 ml-O2/min during perfusion. Histological findings showed that the hepatic architecture was almost completely preserved and numerous hepatocytes exhibited PAS-positive cytoplasmic glycogen deposits in these livers. These observations indicate that we have succeeded in developing an ex vivo functioning liver with an artificial perfusate employing artificial blood.