Extended canine laryngeal preservation for transplantation

The goal of successfully transplanting the larynx has motivated researchers since the 1960s. Early laryngeal transplant techniques limited the donor larynx to 45 minutes of ischemia. In this study, a method of prolonged laryngeal preservation is employed in three canines. In vivo cold laryngeal perfusion with University of Wisconsin Solution (UWS) was performed. The larynx was removed and placed into cold storage in 4 degrees C UWS. After 24 hours of storage, the same canines underwent laryngeal reimplantation. The animals were sacrificed 7 days after reimplantation. No evidence of necrosis or vascular insufficiency was identified histologically. The results indicate that canine larynges can be successfully reimplanted after 24 hours of preservation. Future studies will assess the application of this technique to laryngeal transplantation.