Twelve-hour and twenty four-hour preservation of small bowel allografts by simple hypothermia. Survival utilizing cyclosporine.

Canine small bowel was harvested and stored by simple hypothermic technique. After 12- and 24-hr storage, respectively, the small bowel graft was allotransplanted into recipients. All animals receiving 12-hr stored grafts (n = 9) survived beyond 5 days. In the 24-hr storage group, 67% of the animals (n = 9) survived beyond 5 days. Successful storage for such extended periods by simple hypothermia has not been achieved previously. Donor pretreatment with antibiotics as well as extensive intraluminal irrigation of the harvested small bowel are considered to be important technical features in this successful preservation.