Advantages of Auxiliary Liver Homotransplantation in Rats

A half century (1961-2011) of applying microsurgery to experimental liver research

“…The development of microsurgical techniques was the decisive factor for disseminating the realization of the HLT in rats [45,[68][69][70] . In this animal, several techniques have been described for HLT that are differentiated by the vascularization of the graft (portal, arterial or arteriaportal), the venous drainage (through the SH-IVC or the IH-IVC), the type of portal blood (splanchnic or systemic), the biliary drainage (by choledochoduodenostomy or choledochojejunostomy), the localization of the graft (intra-or extra-abdominal) and the mass of hepatic pa- Figure 7 Orthotopic liver transplant in the rat.…”

“…Next, the donor liver perfusion is initiated through the portal vein. Lastly, the graft is explanted [45,60,70] . The in vitro preparation, or "bench surgery", of the graft consists of placing a cuff on the portal vein and a ligature or suture on the proximal end of the abdominal aorta.…”

Effects of Re-Arterialization on Early Graft Function and Regeneration in the Rat Model of Heterotopic Auxiliary Liver Transplantation

“…In a previous study, we showed that a certain degree of handicap on the native liver was needed to weaken its functional position and to prevent atrophy of the graft [3]. It was evidenced that if the native liver was kept intact, the engrafted liver did eventually atrophy and was replaced by connective tissue [4]. By adding a hepatic re-arterialization to the graft, atrophy could be avoided, and regeneration of the engrafted liver was achieved [5].…”

The Need to Handicap the Recipient′s Native Liverin the Rat Model of Heterotopic Auxiliary LiverTransplantation

“…The investigators have used this model to study amongst others, liver regeneration, hepatotrophic factors, allogenic microchimerism and graft rejection [5,7,8]. Several technique modifications of this model have been introduced [9][10][11][12]. Although the observation of graft atrophy and the concept of "inter-liver competition" in HALTx were reported in the early 60's [13][14][15], opinion still varies on whether in this rat model the native liver of the recipient should be handicapped and in this case which approach should be used.…”

“…Although the observation of graft atrophy and the concept of "inter-liver competition" in HALTx were reported in the early 60's [13][14][15], opinion still varies on whether in this rat model the native liver of the recipient should be handicapped and in this case which approach should be used. Some authors handicapped the native liver either with a 68% partial hepatectomy (68% PH) [7,10] or a 68% PH plus a common bile duct ligation (CBDL) [9,11]. Others, on the contrary, left the native liver intact [5,8,12].…”