[Technic for orthotopic hepatic transplantation in rats using cuffs for 3 vascular anastomoses]

A technique for orthotopic hepatic transplantation in the rat uses polyethylene cuffs to re-establish vascular and biliary continuity. Introduction of the suprahepatic cuff into the intrahepatic vena cava of the receiver rat, after partial hepatectomy, reduces the duration of vascular clamping and improves survival of grafted rats (long-term survival: 70%). This technique is simple to reproduce after several weeks of training and can allow research teams to study immunologic mechanisms of tolerance or rejection of liver allografts in the pure strain rat.