IN-VIVO COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 2 LACTOBIONATE BASED SOLUTIONS FOR PROLONGED HEART PRESERVATION

The duration of safe heart preservation must be improved. Using a heterotopic heart transplantation model, we compared in vivo the recovery of rabbits hearts preserved with a K(+)Lactobionate based fluid (UW: University of Wisconsin solution) or with a Na(+)Lactobionate based fluid. In the ''preservation'' group, hearts were cold stored (4 degrees C) for 6 hours with UW (n=9) or Na(+)Lactobionate solution (n=9). In the ''transplantation'' group, cold storage was followed by 3 hours of reperfusion (UW: n=8, Na(+)Lactobionate solution. n=7). Functional recovery, adenine nucleotide pool, circulating blood cardiac enzymes, circulating blood and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Left ventricular end-diastolic and developed pressures at different preload levels were better after preservation with UW than with Na(+)Lactobionate solution (p<0.05). Also with UW, adenosine diphosphate and total adenine nucleotide content were significantly higher than with Na(+)Lactobionate solution (p<0.05) whereas adenosine triphosphate, monophosphate and energy charges were similar. Cardiac enzymes and tissue MDA were similar with UW and Na(+)Lactobionate solution. In circulating blood, MDA was not detected. These results enhance the superiority of UW solution over a Na(+)Lactobionate based solution for long term heart preservation.