Preservation of the porcine pancreas with HTK and Euro-Collins solution: studies in a reperfusion system.

The present study compares the preservation of the porcine pancreas by the standard Euro-Collins solution or the cardioplegic histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution (HTK). The explanted pancreas was stored at 4 degrees C for 6 and 24 h respectively, following which organ quality was assessed in a reperfusion chamber measuring physiological and biomedical parameters. After 6 h ischaemia, the amount of lactate was significantly lower when HTK was used for protection. Other parameters like insulin release, amylase release, vascular resistance and oxygen consumption of the pancreas did not indicate a significant difference. Protection with HTK significantly improved pancreas preservation after 24 h ischaemia: lactate content in the reperfusate was lower (HTK: 64.0 +/- 7.2 mumol 50 ml-1 n = 8, v. EC: 114.2 +/- 1.7 mumol 50 ml-1, n = 6), the arteriovenous flow rate was higher (HTK: 5.7 +/- 0.91 ml min-1 v. EC: 3.0 +/- 0.26 ml min-1), and the pancreatic oxygen consumption was increased (HTK: 2.15 +/- 0.22 microliter O2 min-1 g-1 v. 0.47 +/- 0.08 microliter O2 min-1 g-1). We conclude that pancreas preservation can be improved in vitro by protection with HTK solution.