A modified technique for cervical heterotopic heart transplantation in rats

Objective: To improve the technique for cervical heterotopic heart transplantation in rats.Methods: One hundred and twenty Lewis rats were randomized into an experimental(40 pairs) and a control group(20 pairs).The former underwent cervical heterotopic heart transplantation with a modified technique,with the donor heart innominate artery and pulmonary artery anastomosed end-to-side respectively with the recipient right common carotid artery and external jugular vein,while the latter with Chen's method.Results: The total ischemic time and blood loss were lessened to(45.74±1.67) min and(0.97±0.23) ml during the operation in the experimental group,as compared with(56.06±3.07) min and(2.18±0.27) ml in the control,although the grafts survived 6 weeks in both of the groups.Conclusion: The modified technique for cervical heart transplantation,capable of reducing blood loss,donor heart ischemia and operation time,is a safe,simple and applicable method.