Reliable cryopreservation of trachea for one month in a new trehalose solution.

We previously reported that trehalose, a reduced disaccharide, was effective in the preservation of lungs. In this study, we investigated the possibility of prolonged cryopreservation of tracheas in a preservative solution containing trehalose. Five rings of cervical trachea were removed and immersed in the preservative solution. The harvested tracheas were then cryopreserved and stored in a deep freezer at -85 degrees C. One month later, five rings of mediastinal trachea were removed. The cryopreserved cervical tracheas were thawed and autotransplanted in place of the excised mediastinal trachea (n = 6). The anastomotic site and graft were then covered with an omental pedicle. All six animals survived for more than 6 months. All grafts survived without any evidence of atrophy or stenosis. Microscopic examination of the grafts showed that the integrity of the tracheal tissues was maintained. Our findings show that consistent cryopreservation of the trachea for 1 month is possible in a preservative solution containing trehalose.