LIVER PRESERVATION WITH UW SOLUTION .1. EVIDENCE THAT HYDROXYETHYL STARCH IS NOT ESSENTIAL

Preservation of rat livers by simple ice-storage has been demonstrated after 24 hr using the University of Wisconsin (UW) solution. Equally good preservation could be obtained by substituting hydroxyethyl starch (HES) from another source or by omission of HES from the UW formulation. Survival, early and late function, and morphology at the end of a 3-month follow-up period were essentially similar for all three test groups. It is concluded that HES is not required for optimum preservation of the rat liver in this treatment model. © 1990 by Williams & Wilkins.