[Importance of graft arterialization in rat liver transplantation]

68 LEW-livers were grafted orthotopically into LEW; 18 with and 50 without rearterialization of the graft. 73.3% of the recipients without arterialization died of ischemic damage of the donor livers and bile ducts. The other animals survived indefinitely (more than 120 days). However, 73.3% of the recipients with graft arterialization survived more than 120 days, three animals 8-23 days. Only one recipient died of bile duct complications on the first postoperative day. These results suggest the importance of graft arterialization in rat liver transplantation, despite the observation that all untreated animals survive after complete dissection of the arterial blood flow to liver. Intraoperatively rats can tolerate acute occlusion of portal vein and vena cava inferior up to 50 min without any bypass for the decompression of splanchnic blood flow. We examined the formation of arterial collateral blood supply in the dearterialized livers by application of gelatin-medium. On day 3 we observed collateral vessels in the hilus of dearterialized livers which mainly originated from the gastroduodenal region and were connected to the remaining arterial system of the liver. Complete arterialization was shown on day 7. In the hepatic graft without arterialization the arterial collaterals were not seen until day 7, and complete arterial blood flow was demonstrated after three postoperative weeks.