Preservation of vascular tissue under hypothermic conditions

Background Preservation of vascular tissue plays a crucial role in the success of organ transplantation. We investigated and compared the performance of 4 preservation solutions at preserving vascular tissue over 24, 48, and 72 h under hypothermic conditions. Materials and methods Rat aortic segments were stored in University of Wisconsin (UW), Modified University of Wisconsin (mUW), EuroCollins (EC), and Bretschneider Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solutions at 4°C for 24, 48, and 72 h. Functional assessment was performed by measuring smooth muscle cell contraction and endothelium-dependent relaxation after stimulation with phenylephrine and acetylcholine, respectively, in an organ bath. Results UW and EC solutions were superior to the other solutions for endothelial cell preservation and were not statistically different from each other at any time (P < 0.05). Smooth muscle cell (i.e., contractile) preservation was best achieved with UW solution for up to 72 h. HTK appeared to function well at 24 h, but at 48 and 72 h, there was a major decline in contractile response and relaxation. Conclusion UW solution appears to be superior for the preservation of the functional integrity of vascular tissue stored under hypothermic conditions up to 72 h.