Portal and arterial washout after hypothermic preservation of the pig liver: prevention of hyperkalaemia after revascularization.

In an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), portal revascularization may produce acidosis and hyperkalaemia due to loss of intracellular acid metabolites and K+ during hypothermic preservation. To verify the effectiveness of portal and arterial washout in preventing hypokalaemia after liver preservation, an OLT was done in 18 large-white pigs. The donor livers were perfused in situ via the portal vein with Hartmann's solution containing 1.000 IU of heparin at 4 degrees C. Afterwards, a cold Collins C2 solution was perfused either in vitro (group A) or in situ (group B). The cold ischemia time in both groups was less than 3 1/2 h. Before doing the portal revascularization of the donor livers, a washout via the portal vein and hepatic artery with saline serum was performed. The concentration of K+, glucose, GOT and LDH in effluents obtained through infrahepatic inferior vena cava were significantly lower in group B than in group A. Simple washout of the livers prior to revascularization prevented hyperkalaemia in both groups.