Hyperacute experimental model of rat lung transplantation using a coronary shunt cannula

Lung transplantation is a well-established treatment of end-stage lung disease. A rodent model is an inexpensive way to collect biological data from a living model after lung transplantation. However, mastering the surgical technique takes time owing to the small organ size.

To conduct rat lung transplantation using a shunt cannula (SC) or modified cannula (MC) and assess their efficacy.

Rat lung transplantation was performed in 11 animals in the SC group and 12 in the MC group. We devised a method of rat lung transplantation using a coronary SC for coronary artery bypass surgery as an anastomosis of pulmonary arteriovenous vessels and bronchioles. The same surgeon performed all surgical procedures in the donor and recipient rats without using a magnifying glass. The success rate of lung transplantation, operating time, and PaO2 values were compared after 2-h reperfusion after transplantation.

Ten and 12 lungs were successfully transplanted in the SC and MC groups, respectively. In the SC group, one animal had cardiac arrest within 1 h after reperfusion owing to bleeding during pulmonary vein anastomosis. The operating time for the removal of the heart-lung block from the donor and preparation of the left lung graft was 26.8 ± 2.3 and 25.7 ± 1.3 min in the SC and MC groups, respectively (P = 0.21). The time required for left lung transplantation in the recipients was 37.5 ± 2.8 min and 35.9 ± 1.4 min in the SC and MC groups, respectively (P = 0.12). PaO2 values at 2 h after reperfusion were 456.2 ± 25.5 and 461.2 ± 21.5 mmHg in the SC and MC groups, respectively (P = 0.63), without difference between the groups.

A hyperacute rat lung transplantation model using a coronary SC was created using a simple technique. The MC was inexpensive, easy to prepare, and simple to operate.