Applicability of Combined Use of Extracorporeal Support and Temperature-Controlled Machine Perfusion Preservation for Liver Procurement of Donors After Cardiac Death in Pigs

• This study sought to determine the benefits of EMCO and MP in a large animal model of DCD liver grafts.
• The combined use of in situ subnormothermic ECMO and MP with rewarming is more essential for the recovery and resuscitating function of DCD liver grafts.

BackgroundThe use of grafts from donors after cardiac death (DCD) would greatly contribute to the expansion of the donor organ pool. The objective of this study is to determine the benefits of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and subnormothermic machine perfusion (MP) with rewarming in a large animal model of DCD liver.MethodsAfter cardiac arrest, the abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava were cannulated and connected to an ECMO circuit. Porcine livers were perfused in situ with ECMO at 22°C for 60 minutes after 60 minutes of cardiac death. Then the livers were perfused for 4 hours by MP as a graft viability test. In group 1, non–in situ ECMO and grafts were preserved hypothermic MP. In group 2, non–in situ ECMO and grafts were preserved subnormothermic rewarming MP. In group 3, we used ECMO and subnormothermic rewarming MP. To assess potential methods and effect, effluent enzymes were measured. Portal vein and hepatic artery pressure during MP were evaluated.ResultsEffluent enzyme of AST, alanine aminotransferase and LDH as viability markers were significantly low (aspartate aminotransferase, 2899, 2292, and 972 IU/L; alanine aminotransferase, 134, 140, and 72 IU/L; and lactate dehydrogenase, 4354, 4455, and 1855 IU/L in each group, respectively). Portal vein and hepatic artery pressure during preservation came down smoothly in group 3 compared with group 1.ConclusionsThe combined use of in situ subnormothermic ECMO and machine preservation with rewarming is more essential for the recovery and resuscitating function of DCD liver grafts.