Isolated Dog Hearts Prepared in Cold Tyrode Solution and Reperfused with Arterial Blood Are Functionally and Ultrastructurally Normal

Isolated dog whole heart preparations run by means of cross-circulation with support dogs were prepared in two different ways. In one way the donors' hearts were quickly removed, and cannulation of their major vessels, insertion of a latex balloon into the left ventricle, etc. were all done in cold Tyrode solution in the condition of heart-anoxia within 30 min and then reperfused with arterial blood of support dogs (Group A). In the other, cannulation of the major vessels of the donors' hearts were done in the state of “beating heart” (Group B). In these two kinds of preparations we compared basal cardiocoronary measurements (coronary blood flow, left ventricular pressure (LVP), its first derivative (LV dP/dt) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and ultrastructure of the myocardium at various periods of the experiments. There were no significant differences in these cardio-coronary measurements and ultrastructural findings. Furthermore, Group A preparations kept stable levels of cardio-coronary measurements for 5 hr or more and responded normally to isoproterenol. Therefore, isolated, blood-perfused dog whole hearts prepared in cold Tyrode solution and reperfused by means of the cross-circulation method would be useful for physiological, pharmacological and biochemical studies.