Effects of Donor Position on Harvested Lung Quality

• Published in: The Journal of surgical research Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 509 - 513
• Main Authors: Sekela, Michael E., Perll, Peter D., Hatter, Jeffrey E., Lanzo, Sherrie L., Duncan, John M., Gross, David R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-03-1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Female; Lung Transplantation; Medical sciences; Posture; Pulmonary Circulation; Swine; Tissue Donors; Lung disease; Edema; Shunt; Position; Lung; Transplantation; Heterotransplantation; Pig; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Donor; Surgery; Animal; Artiodactyla; Hemodynamics; Technique; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0022-4804; 1095-8673
• DOI: 10.1006/jsre.1996.0155

Potential lung donors are frequently maintained in one position for prolonged periods of time prior to harvest. This study was designed to determine if the effects of gravity induced by maintaining an animal model in the supine position for 24 hr would have adverse effects on the harvested lung. Group 1 pigs were anesthetized, instrumented, mechanically ventilated, and the lungs harvested within 90 min. Group 2 pigs were anesthetized, instrumented, and mechanically ventilated in an identical manner then maintained in the same dorsal-spinal recumbency position for 24 hrs. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters were stable and not statistically different between the two groups for the baseline and 1 hr time period measurements. There were no significant differences between the two groups for shunt fractions, wet/dry ratios, blood flow distribution, or flush solution distribution. We conclude that in anesthetized pigs there is no evidence that routine repositioning protocols improve blood flow distribution, shunting, or dependent edema.