Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is the most effective treating method for end-stage liver disease. Biliary lesion following transplantation is one of primary problems for liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a model of liver transplantation in rats to study the effect of cryopreservation time on bile ducts following liver transplantation.
METHODS: A total of 120 healthy, male, SD rats. According to the random pair principle, rats with smaller weight served as donors. The donor livers were preserved at UW solution at 4 ℃ for 2, 8, 16 hours and transplanted to the recipients. Based on the classic “two cuff” technique for orthotropic liver transplantation, end-to-end anastomosis between the common hepatic artery of donor and recipient by the modified “Gao stent” was performed to reconstruct hepatic artery blood flow. The operative duration and successful transplantation ratio were recorded. The levels of serum alamine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase were determined at 3 and 7 days after transplantation. At the same time, the histopathological changes were observed. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In total 55 rats were performed orthotopic liver transplantation, and the successful transplantation ratio was 93%. The success ratio of 2-, 8- and 16-hour group was 100% (9/9), 83% (10/12) and 73% (8/11), respectively. Prolonged cryopreservation time can cause the severe bile duct injury. Bile duct histopathology score showed differences between groups were significant (P < 0.05). The model in rats with grafts undergoing 16-hour cryopreservation provides suitable model for studying the effects of cryopreservation on bile ducts after liver transplantation.