The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 41, 301-306, Copyright © 1986 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Hypothermic preservation of the heart and lungs with Collins solution: effect on cardiorespiratory function following heart-lung allotransplantation in dogs
TW Feeley, FG Mihm, TP Downing, AM Sadeghi, WA Baumgartner, BA Reitz and NE Shumway
The effect of preserving the heart and lungs with hypothermia and Collins
solution was studied in 13 mongrel dogs undergoing combined heart-lung
transplantation. The five control animals who underwent an immediate
transplant following Collins solution perfusion had small increases in
extravascular lung water when measured 2.5 hours posttransplant as seen in
a previous study. The eight animals who had hypothermic preservation
following Collins solution perfusion had significantly higher extravascular
lung water than controls (16.3 +/- 1.8 ml/kg in preserved animals; 11.2 +/-
1.7 ml/kg in controls p less than 0.05). The level of lung water reached at
2.5 hours postoperatively was similar to that reached with a previously
reported, unacceptable preservation technique. Survival beyond this point
was poor due to severe pulmonary edema. We conclude that the use of this
solution, given under the experimental conditions which we describe, is not
acceptable for hypothermic preservation of the heart and lungs for combined
transplantation.
