The benefit of NMP preservation has been reported in a number of animal studies. Herein we describe safety, feasibility and effectiveness of NMP on discarded human livers as the first center in the nation. Ten human livers were discarded due to steatosis, prolonged warm ischemia, fibrosis, or a combination of these factors. All livers underwent 24hrs NMP after 5-6hr of cold storage. NMP perfusate consisted of blood bank obtained matched human fresh frozen plasma and packed red blood cells (total volume 2.5L). All livers had stable physiologic hemodynamic parameters, showing consumption of oxygen and glucose, and decreasing lactate during NMP. Using bile production as a marker of organ function (≥ 5ml/hr), half of the grafts displayed good function, with lower aspartate aminotransferase release and good preservation of parenchymal architecture when compared to organs that did not produce bile (bile production :174±53ml vs 36±31ml; p=0.001; AST 15205±11392 U/L vs 24435±10841 U/L; p=0.23).No machine failure/malfunction was recorded. NMP preservation proved to be a safe and feasible technique on human livers, and showed the potential ability to rescue half of all discarded human livers based on viability assessment during perfusion.

« Back to 2015 American Transplant Congress