Long-term preservation of canine pancreas by a new simple cold storage method using perfluorochemical--the two-layer...

Long term preservation of canine pancreas by a new simple cold storage method using perfluorochemical (PFC), two-layer (Euro-Collins' solution (EC)/PFC) cold storage method, was tested in the canine model of segmental pancreas autotransplantation. The functional recovery of the graft preserved by this method (group 1) was determined by daily fasting blood glucose concentration and intravenous glucose tolerance test at two weeks after autotransplantation and compared with simple cold storage with EC (group 2), cold storage in EC with simple bubbling of oxygen (group 3), and control (no preservation) (group 4). Maintenance of normoglycemia at least 5 days after transplantation was considered a success of preservation. The functional success rates after 24 hour preservation were 4/4 (100%), 4/4 (100%) and 4/5 (80%) for groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and the functional success rates of groups 1, 2 and 3 after 48 hour preservation were 5/6 (86%), 1/5 (20%) and 1/5 (20%) respectively. In addition the functional success rates after 72 hour preservation were 6/6 (100%), 0/6 (0%) and 0/5 (0%) for groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively. It was clear that the two-layer cold storage method had made it possible to preserve the canine pancreas for up to 72 hours although the upper limit of reliable preservation time of groups 2 and 3 was 24 hours. The mean K value of group 1 after 72 hour preservation was 1.78 +/- 0.42 compared with 2.05 +/- 0.32 of group 4 at two weeks after transplantation. Biopsies of grafts of group 2 and 3 after 72 hours preservation showed remarkable autolytic changes in exocrine and endocrine tissues. In contrast, biopsies of grafts of group 1 after 72 hour preservation showed almost normal architecture in both tissues. In addition, biopsies of 72 hour preserved grafts of group 1 at 4 weeks after autotransplantation showed almost normal pancreatic architecture with minimal fibrotic changes in the exocrine tissue. This study demonstrated the possibility of long-term preservation of the pancreas for transplantation.