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Fluorochemical emulsion APE-LM substantially improves cardiac preservation
L D Segel1, J M Minten, F K Schweighardt
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, Davis 95616.
The American Journal of Physiology
|September 1, 1992
Summary
A novel fluorochemical emulsion, APE-LM, significantly improved long-term heart preservation and function recovery compared to other solutions. This breakthrough offers better cardiac tissue preservation after extended hypothermic storage.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Biomedical Engineering
- Organ Preservation
Background:
- Long-term hypothermic preservation of hearts is critical for transplantation and research.
- Current preservation solutions have limitations in maintaining cardiac function and preventing tissue damage.
- Novel oxygen-carrying solutions are being explored to enhance organ viability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a novel fluorochemical emulsion (APE-LM) for long-term hypothermic heart preservation.
- To compare APE-LM with a standard crystalloid solution and another fluorochemical emulsion (FC-43).
- To assess the impact of preservation media on cardiac function and tissue edema post-preservation.
Main Methods:
- Rat hearts were preserved for 12 hours at 12°C using continuous coronary perfusion with oxygenated crystalloid, APE-LM, or FC-43 media.
- An isolated working heart perfusion system assessed cardiac function (contractility, output, energetics) after a 4-hour reperfusion at 37°C.
- Fluid gain (edema) during preservation and its reversal during reperfusion were measured.
Main Results:
- Hearts preserved with APE-LM showed no significant difference from fresh controls in function during reperfusion.
- APE-LM-preserved hearts exhibited significantly better performance than crystalloid- and FC-43-preserved hearts.
- Edema in APE-LM hearts was reversed during reperfusion, unlike other groups.
Conclusions:
- APE-LM is a highly effective fluorochemical emulsion for long-term hypothermic heart preservation.
- This novel emulsion significantly improves cardiac function recovery and reduces detrimental edema.
- APE-LM's properties, including high O2 capacity and small particle size, contribute to its superior performance in organ preservation.