Evaluation of Ischemic Injury during Liver Procurement from Non-Heart-Beating Donors

The aim of this study was to assess liver viability after different periods of cardiac arrest and the predictive value of two markers of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: A pig liver transplantation model of non-heart-beating donors was studied. Four donor groups were designed; three groups were submitted to different periods of cardiac arrest (20, 30 and 40 min), and the fourth group served as the control group (without cardiac arrest). In the non-heart-beating donor groups, normothermic recirculation was established 30 min prior to total body cooling. Aminotransferase, α-glutathione-S-transferase, and hyaluronic acid determinations as well as liver biopsies, were serially performed. Results: Although hepatocellular function could be preserved after 40 min of cardiac arrest, histological lesions at 5 days were considered irreversible due to the presence of a necrotic biliary tract. An overall significant relationship was found between the time period of cardiac arrest (20, 30 or 40 min) and the levels of hyaluronic acid (p = 0.004) or α-glutathione-S-transferase (p = 0.01) obtained during liver procurement and transplantation. Conclusions: The period of cardiac arrest is the determinant factor of liver viability after liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors. As early markers of endothelial or hepatocellular damage, hyaluronic acid or α-glutathione-S-transferase levels may help to evaluate the ischemic injury of a potential donor.