Storage of donor long saphenous vein

Donor homograft vein is sometimes used in vascular surgery when autograft vein is not available. The optimum mode of storage remains controversial. An ideal solution would cause cellular disruption and thus decrease the immunogenicity of the donor vein, and allow a preserved collagen matrix and basement membrane, required to maintain the structure. Human donor vein was stored in normal saline at 4 degrees C, glycerol at 4 degrees C, liquid nitrogen and at -50 degrees C. The veins were examined at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days of storage using light microscopy, histochemistry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Vein stored at 4 degrees C in normal saline fulfilled the two requirements of preservation of the basement membrane and collagen matrix of the vein with loss of the cellular elements. We conclude, that in morphological terms this is the best mode of preservation. However further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary.