Abstract
AIM: To evaluate the viability and energy metabolism of long warm ischemically damaged pancreas during preservation by the UW solution cold storage method. METHODS: The pancreas grafts subjected to 30-120 min warm ischemia were preserved by the UW solution cold storage method for 24 h. The tissue concentrations of adenine nucleotides (AN) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total adenine nucleotides (TAN) were determined by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the viability of the pancreas graft was tested in the canine model of segmental pancreas autotransplantation. RESULTS: The functional success rates of pancreas grafts of groups after 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, 120 min of warm ischemia were 100%, 100%, 67.7%, 0%, respectively. There was an excellent correlation between the posttransplant viability and tissue concentration of ATP and TAN at the end of preservation. CONCLUSION: The UW solution cold storage method was effective for functional recovery of the pancreas suffering 60-min warm ischemia. The tissue concentration of ATP and TAN at the end of 24 h preservation by the UW solution cold storage method would predict the posttransplant outcome of pancreas graft subjected to significant warm ischemia.