Canine Liver Isolation-Perfusion at Normo- and Hyperthermic Temperatures with Perfluorochemical Emulsion (Fluosol-43)

Abstract

A perfluorocarbon emulsion, Fluosol-43, was used as a blood substitute for oxygen transport during isolation-perfusion of the dog liver at 37 and 43 °C. Preservation of hepatic functional integrity was assessed through analysis of perfusate constituents and animal survival after perfusion. Flow to the liver during perfusion was > 1 ml/min/g with one-third of total flow provided through the hepatic artery and two-thirds through the protal vein. Perfusion duration was 3 h. The pO₂ gradient across the liver indicated that oxygen was consumed during perfusion at both temperatures. The expected rise in pCO₂ and decrease in pH of the outflow perfusate is consistent with active aerobic metabolism. Perfusate chemistries lactate, pyruvate, glucose, urea, total α-amino acids, ketone bodies and SGPT demonstrated that hepatic functional integrity was maintained during perfusion. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between temperatures occurred in the perfusate levels of lactate, pyruvate, L/P ratios, glucose and total α-amino acids. Animal survival after a 3-hour perfusion was 3/4 at 37 °C, and 2/5 at 43 °C. After perfusion, SGPT levels were significantly higher in dogs subjected to perfusion at 43 °C. The success of these experiments demonstrates that perfusion of the liver with Fluosol-43 was not in itself hepatotoxic, and that Fluosol-43 may allow perfusion of the liver at 43 °C with only mild toxicity.

Biomedical Applications of Artificial Oxygen Carriers

“…Possible applications under current clinical investigation are: -Transplantation medicine. Organs awaiting transplantation have been successfully preserved by perfusion with artificial oxygen carriers [21,22], and successful transplantations in humans have been performed after prolonged organ perfusion with artificial oxygen carriers [23]. -Chronic renal anemia.…”

The Use of a Perfluorochemical Emulsion as a Vascular Perfusate in Drug Absorption

“…This emulsion is an excellent oxygen carrying agent since it can dissolve about 20 times as much oxygen as can water; the oxygen solubilities in the emulsion and water are, respectively, 41 and 2.3 vol % at 37°C and 760 mmHg (Yokoyama et al 1975). Although it has been used for organ perfusion of isolated kidney, liver and heart (Yokoyama et al 1983;Skibba et al 1985;Segel et al 1987), its use as a vascular perfusate for absorption is examined here in detail for the first time. The first aim was to determine if intestinal membrane barrier functions were maintained during the perfusion of the emulsion, therefore, it was tested for its active transport capacity for D-glucose.…”