Ex vivo cardiac allograft preservation by continuous perfusion techniques.

The current technique of cardiac preservation for clinical transplantation by infusion of cold cardioplegia and immersion of the heart in an isotonic saline bath at 4 degrees C limits safe tissue preservation time to 4 to 6 hours. The myriad of benefits to be gained by extending cardiac preservation time has prompted the search for alternatives to hypothermic immersion of the heart, the most promising of which involves techniques of coronary artery perfusion. Countless studies have shown the benefits of long-term storage of donor hearts by perfusion rather than the immersion technique. Continuous perfusion preservation has three basic advantages over simple immersion. Perfusion preservation with oxygen carrying solutions has the advantage of preventing ischemia, anaerobic metabolism, and reperfusion injury. Second, nutritional supplementation and provision of substrate can be more effectively delivered to myocardial cells. Third, continuous perfusion preservation effects the clearance of metabolic waste products from the coronary circulation. The composition of the ideal perfusion solution and optimal preservation conditions remain incompletely defined.