Suture Techniques for Vascular Reconstruction in Mouse Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Translational research using animal models is essential for addressing the clinical issues in organ transplantations. Although mouse orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) is a useful tool for investigating the mechanisms of liver regeneration, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and immune responses following LT, technical challenges in this procedure restrict its feasibility. The key aspects for successful mouse orthotopic LT are vascular reconstruction in recipients, including the suprahepatic inferior vena cava (SHIVC), portal vein (PV), and infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IHIVC). In addition to the technical difficulties in reconstructing these vessels, the time limitation of the anhepatic phase to within 20 min makes this procedure more challenging. Although a cuff technique can be used for PV reconstruction, a safe and quick suture technique is required to reconstruct the SHIVC during the anhepatic phase. For IHIVC reconstruction, while both cuff and suture techniques are applicable, the suture technique leads to a shorter operation time in donor surgery and back-table preparation and can maintain a larger vascular lumen than the cuff technique. We herein provide guidelines for SHIVC and IHIVC reconstruction using a suture technique to facilitate mouse orthotopic LT.