A comparison of a new solution combining histidine and lactobionate with UW solution and eurocollins for rat liver preservation.

Forty-six rat liver transplants were performed to investigate the effectiveness of a simplified lactobionate solution containing histidine as a buffer (histidine-lactobionate solution) and to compare it with University of Wisconsin solution. This new solution is isoosmotic (320 mOsm/L) and has a higher sodium content and a lower potassium content (Na: 90 mEq/L, K: 45 mEq/L) than standard UW solution. Buffering capacity is increased by adding histidine (90 mM/L) together with KH2PO4 (20 mM/L) and is greater than that of Eurocollins solution or UW solution. Adenosine, insulin, hydroxyethyl starch, and dexamethasone that are included in UW solution are not included in the new solution. The 1-week survival rate of rats transplanted with livers preserved in this solutions at 4 degrees C was 85% (11/13) following 24-hr preservation and 33% (2/6) after 30-hr preservation. By contrast, UW solution gave only a 29% (5/17) survival rate after 24-hr preservation and 0% (0/6) survival after 30-hr preservation, demonstrating that this simplified UW solution with histidine is superior to UW solution in rat liver preservation. No rats (0/4) receiving livers preserved for 24 hr in Eurocollins solution survived. These findings show that the inclusion of histidine as a buffer dramatically improves the effectiveness of lactobionate-based preservation solutions and justify application in a large-animal model and subsequently in clinical liver transplantation.