Purpose: Ischemia time remains a significant limiting factor for successful extremity replantation and transplantation. Normothermic ex-situ perfusion is a novel method of a limb preservation that maintains physiologic cellular metabolism avoiding the deleterious effects of hypoxia and cooling. This study aimed to establish the efficacy of normothermic ex-situ perfusion in preserving viability and function of human upper extremities.

Methods: Six upper extremities were recovered from brain-death organ donors. Three limbs were perfused using an oxygenated colloid solution containing PRBC, plasma, and albumin at 39[deg]C. Three were preserved at 4[deg]C as a control. Electrolytes were kept within physiologic range by partial perfusate exchanges. Limb viability was assessed by muscle contractility, tissue oxygen saturation, creatine kinase(CK) and myoglobin concentrations, indocyanine green (ICG)angiography and thermography.

Results: Perfused arms retained physiological parameters and function up to 48 hours with a final weight increase of 8.33%±0.07, mean muscle temperature of 35.5±0.61^oC, and tissue oxygen saturation 90.44%±11.2. Average values of final myoglobin and CK concentrations were 31863.33±18621.31ng/mL, and 68456.67±32236.09U/L. Thermography and ICG angiography depicted uniform peripheral perfusion throughout the experiment. Electrical stimulation of median, ulnar and radial nerves displayed no muscle contraction at the beginning, however, muscle contraction recovered gradually and was preserved until the end of perfusion. In the control group, no contraction was identified throughout the experiments.

Conclusion: Ex-situ normothermic limb perfusion shows potential in overcoming the present standard of care (cold preservation) improving ischemia time for large segments and allowing a radical change in the management of traumatic amputations and upper extremity transplantation.

CITATION INFORMATION: Fahradyan V., Dalla Pozza E., Madajka M., Cho K., Dawlagala N., Duraes E., Shah H., Al-deen Said S., Ordenana C., Papay F., Rampazzo A., Bassiri Gharb B. Ex-Situ Normothermic Human Upper Extremity Perfusion: Preliminary Report Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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