Twenty-four-hour preservation of the duct-ligated canine pancreatic allograft.

Twenty previously pancreatectomized dogs received a duct-ligated pancreatic allograft; 16 of the grafts were preserved for 24 h, 9 with continuous hypothermic albumin perfusion, 7 with simple hypothermic storage; 4 glands were transplanted immediately and served as controls. The outcome of preservation was assessed by studying the early endocrine function of the glands. Excluding five early failures due to bleeding, all grafts showed endocrine activity after transplantation and the glucose values were on a normal level. An initial hyperglucemia caused by pancreatectomy disappeared within 24h. In the two groups with 24h preservation, no differences in graft function were found. In the control group, there was a hypoglucemic tendency the first days after transplantation and a prolonged hyperinsulinemia during glucose load. It could be concluded that duct-ligated, isolated canine pancreas well tolerated 24h of preservation both by continuous hypothermic albumin perfusion and by simple hypothermic storage in an extracellular type of fluid.