Preservation of rat skeletal muscle function during storage for 16 h at 4 degrees C is not improved by pre-storage perfusion.

The aim of this study was to investigate if the preservation of isolated skeletal muscles for 16 h at 4 degrees C could be improved by pre-storage perfusion (PSP). Two rat muscle models were used: the soleus (SOL) and a posterior strip of the cutaneous trunci (CT). The effects of a 10 min PSP (at 25 degrees C) with University of Wisconsin solution (UW) or HTK-Bretschneider solution (HTK) on muscle function were analysed. The perfusion model was validated by the demonstration that the SOL and CT could be perfused with donor blood, UW and HTK at a flow rate of 0.2 ml x min(-1) x g(-1) muscle for 10 min without any immediate adverse effects on muscle weight, function (maximum tetanus tension) and cytoarchitecture (multivariate analysis of variance, P >0.05; n =6). For each muscle type and for each solution, six perfused and six non-perfused muscles were stored for 16 h at 4 degrees C. In the perfused groups, the storage and perfusion solution were matched. For both muscle types, the function (maximum tetanus tension), weight and cytoarchitecture of pre-storage perfused muscles was not preserved any better than that of non-perfused muscles, irrespective of the solution used (multivariate analysis of variance, P >0.05). We conclude that PSP for 10 min with UW and HTK does not improve the preservation of function of rat skeletal muscles during storage for 16 h at 4 degrees C.