Simple Auxiliary Liver Transplantation without Bile Duct Reconstruction in the Rat

Yoo, Chang Hyun; Lee, Sang Su; Yoon, Myung Hee

Abstract

There has been numerous experimental liver transplantation models in the rodent : orthotopic versus hetrerotopic; whole liver versus partial liver; microvascular suture versus cuff method in technical aspects. Several simplified modifications were introduced for experimental liver transplantation for improving animal-survival rate. Liver transplantation without arterial reconstruction, the cuff tchnique or stent method were the examples of simplifing modification. In practice, complications related to biliary reconstruction are frequent causes of intraabdominal infection in our rat liver transplantation. Here we propose using simple liver transplantation model of partial heterotopic liver transplantation without artery and bile duct reconstruction in the studies which need only observation of immediate graft survival or very short-term follow-up. Here we examined the serial histologic changes of auxiliary liver grafts without biliary reconstruction during short period after transplantation. Until 7 days of transplantation, bile duct proliferation was confined in the portal area of grafts and did not distort the lobular structure. Early graft-survival and rapid immunologic response might be evaluated by this easy transplantation model.