Abstract:

Objective To improve the technique of suprahepatic vena cava（SHVC）reconstruction in rat orthotopic liver transplantation，novel magnetic rings were designed and manufactured to facilitatereconstruction of SHVC and shorten the anhepatic time. Methods 120 adult male Wistar rats were randomlydivided into two groups ：rings group（n ＝ 30），using magnetic rings for SHVC reconstruction ；suture group （n ＝ 30），7-0 prolene sutures were used for SHVC running anastomosis as control. Cuff techniques were used forportal vein and infrahepatic vena cava reconstruction as Kamada and Calne described. Results Compared with suture group，SHVC reconstruction time，anhepatic phase and recipient operation time were significantly decreased inrings group〔SHVC reconstruction time（min）：0.91±0.24 vs. 10.4±2.11，anhepatic phase time（min）：5.63±0.65 vs. 17.76±2.51，recipient operation time（min）：36.02±8.02 vs. 49.38±12.06，all P ＜ 0.05〕. In the rings group，29 rats survived for 7 days and 28 rats survived for 30 days. In contrast，only 25 recipients in suture group remained alive for 7 days and 22 survived for more than 30 days（P ＜ 0.05）. Conclusion Better anastomotic healing was founded in rings group by pathology and electron microscope scan. The magnetic rings technique provides a novel，simple method for SHVC reconstruction of orthotopic liver transplantation（OLT）in rat. It significantly shortens anhepatic phase，while the success rate of the operation is satisfactory