Original Article

Heart Preservation during 24 Hours for Transplantation

Service de Chirugie Cardio-Vasculaire Hopital de Rangueil, Toulouse, France

^* Direct communications to: Daniel Raux, M.D., Service de Chirugie Cardio-Vasculaire, Hopital de Rangueil, Chemin du Vallon, 31054 Toulouse, Cedex, France

Abstract

(J. Extra-Corpor. Technol. 19[3] p. 305-311 Fall 1987, 11 ref.) To promote the development of heart transplantation by developing a complete technique of prolonged preservation of the graft in an independent, miniaturized and computerized container, a surgical technique is described, which allows continuous protection of the myocardium during removal, preservation and grafting.

The use of cardioplegia allows diastole arrest, an essential point for good preservation. The preservation system consists of a refrigerated and thermostatic container. The heart is perfused by a micropump and the perfusate is oxygenated and bubblefree due to a special filter. Captors are placed in the perfusion, thermic catheter, K ++, pH, lactate, electrodes and the results are analyzed by a microcomputer and transmitted to a feedback control system which adjusts the parameters. This device can be portable. With this type of device, good results were obtained as evidenced by:

• ckmb release was low

• the histological lesions are rare and reversible

• after transport, the heart maintains electrical and mechanical activity.