Non‐vascular transplantation of the rabbit uterus

Abstract

Transplantation of the uterus may be an optimal solution in young hysterectomized patients, in women with agenesis of the uterus or in severe uterine anomalies. In the human model, attempted tubal and ovarian homografts have usually failed. Eighteen rabbits underwent unilateral non-vascular uterine transplantation. Four rabbits underwent total unilateral uterine autograft. Three uteri showed severe inflammation and necrosis 72 h, 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. Thereafter, the operative technique was modified to avoid contamination from the vagina and four rabbits underwent supravaginal unilateral non-vascular autograft. Three uteri had preserved endometrial and myometrial structure on relaparotomy. The following four rabbits underwent homotransplantation of the uterus and showed acute rejection of the transplant. Under cyclosporine therapy three homotransplanted rabbits developed pelvic abscesses while three other rabbits showed preserved myometrial and endometrial structures.

Contributions from Self-Renewal and Trafficking to the Uterine NK Cell Population of Early Pregnancy

“…The latter observation excluded migration of pro/pre-uNK cells from the graft segments into host tissue and established that mouse uterus does not contain self-renewing pro/pre-uNK cells. Uterine and oviductal grafts used in published studies (11)(12)(13)(14) may have scarred and died due to problems of excessive length, inadequate 2 in PLN recipients from gd3 B6 donors than in other recipients from NP, gd5, or gd7 donors. ¶, p Ͻ 0.01; significantly different from uNK cell density/mm 2 in the MT/MLAp of the members of the same treatment group.…”

“…Availability of tg⑀26 and RAG-2 Ϫ/Ϫ /␥ c Ϫ/Ϫ mice which have phenotypically similar anomalous implantation sites suggests that a uterine segment transplant approach would be possible. However, poor outcomes have been reported following grafting of uterine and oviductal tissues in rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and primates (11)(12)(13)(14). Inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis limited the ability of these grafts to support implantation.…”

Uterus Transplant: Does It Have Legs?

“…Uterine transplants have been carried out in mice [1], rats [2], rabbits [3], sheep [4] and primates [5]. In a systematic review chronicling the uterus transplants in human beings to date [6], it was noted that the first uterus transplant done in Saudi Arabia [7] in 2002 resulted in a graft loss and hysterectomy was done after 3 months.…”

Uterine Transplantation: An Option beyond Surrogacy

“…3 With the availability of in vitro fertilization in 1978, uterine transplantation research was deferred. 4 In Saudi Arabia in 2000, a uterine transplant was performed, from a 46-year-old hysterectomy patient into a 26-year-old recipient 5 whose own uterus was removed due to postpartum hemorrhage. The transplanted uterus functioned for 99 days, but ultimately needed to be removed due to thrombosis.…”