An examination of the effects of solutions containing histidine and lactobionate for heart, pancreas, and liver preservation in the rat.

Fifty-five rat pancreas transplants, 18 rat heart transplants, and 41 rat liver transplants were performed using standard UW solution, the new HL solution (HL-I), or a modified HL solution (HL-II). Storage times of 18 hr were used in the heart preservation experiments, 24 hr in the liver preservation experiments, and 48 or 72 hr in the pancreas preservation experiments. HL-I solution was superior to both HL-II and UW solution for heart preservation (1-week graft survival rates of 100% [7/7], 0% [0/5], and 50% [3/6], respectively). HL-I and HL-II were superior to UW for 24 hr liver preservation (1-week graft survival rates of 78% [11/14], 80% [8/10], and 29% [5/17], respectively). In contrast, HL-II was superior to both HL-I and UW solutions for pancreas preservation following both 48-hr preservation and 72-hr preservation. Satisfactory graft function was achieved in 100% (7/7), 40% (6/15), and 44.4% (4/9) of pancreases transplanted after 48 hr using HL-II, HL-I, and UW solutions, respectively, and in 50% (4/8), 0% (0/8), and 0% (0/8) following 72-hr preservation. Histidine- and lactobionate-containing solutions thus represent a further improvement in organ preservation by simple cold storage.