Heart Protection by Cardioplegic Solutions Containing Oxyhemoglobin Pretreated by Carbontetrachloride and Freeze-Drying with Sucrose

Abstract

A technologically improved variant of native stroma-free oxyhemoglobin (SFH) pretreated by carbontetrachloride and freeze-drying with 240 mM sucrose were reconstituted in a properly diluted ionic solution to reach the final concentration of 66 g oxyhemoglobin/L, osmolality 280-320 m0sm and pH 7.4. Cardioplegia of isolated rat heart was induced and maintained by this solution without recirculation for 3 h at 20 degrees C prior to heterotopic allo-transplantation of the graft. Evaluation of the survival and performance of each graft after 24 h and extent of tissue necroses indicated that the given standardly produced SFH variant ensured reproducible heart preservation from ischemic and reperfusion injury similarly as did the renown crystalloid cardioplegic solution CUSTODIOL.

Hemoglobin solutions

“…The same hemoglobin solution has also been shown to be a more suitable perfusate for small intestinal preservation than conventional preservation solutions in a model of orthotopic small intestine transplantation in the rat (115). Other hemoglobin solutions have also been used successfully as graft preservation solutions before, e.g., heart transplantation in rats (116). Total blood exchange with a hemoglobin solution may be useful to remove xenograft antibodies before xenotransplantation.…”